Category: Behind the Curtain (Page 3 of 4)

Non-Compliance: The Transition

17th September, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

Releasing on 30th September, Paige Daniels’ latest book, Non-Compliance: The Transition is the second book in the Non-Compliance series (the first being The Sector, which was released by Kristell Ink in 2012).

This was another of my editing jobs, following on from The Reluctant Prophet’s release last month, but it was waaay outside my usual genre choice. I don’t remember the last time I read a science fiction book, and even then it was probably on the more literary side (something like Never Let Me Go or The Time Traveller’s Wife most likely). This book, however, has a more pulp feel (and I mean that in the stylistic way, not as an insult) – though I have to say I’m uncomfortable slotting it anywhere exactly, being as it is not purely a pulp sci-fi, nor romance, nor dystopian novel, but some combination of the three. And the combination works.

It was a pretty easy editing job; there really wasn’t much that needed my help. My role seemed to be more akin to brushing the lint from the shoulders, straightening the tie, giving an encouraging pinch to the cheek as the book takes a deep breath and heads for the bookstore shelves. So thanks, Tina, for saving me the headaches. I do, however, wish I’d counted how many times I deleted the word “that”, you know, just for kicks.

What struck me about this book, and I admit I have not yet read the first in the series, was the unapologetic nerdiness of Shea Kelly, the main character; the author manages to give us a smart and sassy – yet nerdy and self-deprecating – heroine, without resorting to the clichés and tropes normally associated with these types of stories and characters. Shea is human, she’s real, and if you’re not her, you know someone like her.

And despite this book exploring a romantic relationship between Shea and her tough-guy counterpart, Quinn, the book doesn’t have one of those Princess Bride moments where you think, “Wait, wait, hold on! Are you trying to trick me? Is this a kissing book?”. The romance is woven into the story as effortlessly as the technology; you notice it when you’re supposed to, but it doesn’t make you wrinkle your nose.

Although it worked for me as a standalone, I do feel the need now to go back and read Non-Compliance: The Sector, just to find out what lead up to everything in this book. I’d suggest you do the same. Get out there and get yourself a copy of book one, you’ve still got time to read it before the release of Non-Compliance: The Transition comes out on the 30th.

Oh, and yet another triumph with the cover art by Ken Dawson. Awesome.

Writing Postmasters

30th August, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

A little while back I was interviewed by Audrey Camp and Lacy Mayberry of The Postmasters Podcast; the interview will go live on the 1st of September. We talked about everything from my inspiration for Amaranth, to how I got my agent, to how I juggle motherhood, a fledgling publishing imprint and this writing life.

Though the Postmasters Podcast only started up in July, there are already three episodes to listen to before mine; I’ve listened to each one so far, and I really recommend it to writers at any experience level. Audrey and Lacy are witty, informative and ask relevant and pertinent questions of their guests – the idea of listening to myself makes me cringe, but when I listened to the preview even I had to admit they made me sound interesting!

I hope you’ll all tune in to Postmasters on the 1st of September, and if you like what you hear, subscribe and listen to the previous episodes as well. You won’t regret it.

Learn more about Postmasters on their website, and Like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

How to procrastinate like a pro

21st August, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

Procrastination. It’s a writer’s worst enemy, and I doubt there’s a one of us who doesn’t succumb to it now and then, if not on a daily basis. Yesterday was writing day, and I found myself doing all my usual procrastination self talk:

I’ll just get a cup of tea.

I’ll just check Facebook.

Oh! A message! Must reply to this message, then I’ll get to work.

Now I’ve lost my train of thought…better go put some laundry on while I collect myself.

Oops, there’s already a pile of dry stuff in the dryer – I should at least take it—

STOP! Just stop it right there and get back to WORK!

Back to the computer I go. And there’s an email from a client – I better answer that before I—

NOOOOO!

And so it goes. I got so mad at myself that I went to my author page on Facebook to put up a quote about writers who procrastinate. That takes a bit of research, so I had a look at some quote sites, started reading – rookie mistake – and another half an hour went by before I realised I was doing it again. Dammit! Close the quote site. Close Facebook. Close the browser entirely. Open Scrivener and stare at that blank screen again.

. . .

Yeah. Now I can’t concentrate.

The procrastination thing was bugging me, but not the urge to procrastinate, the urge to write about procrastination. I suddenly wanted to write something all writers could relate to, about how badly we procrastinate, and the sorts of crazy things we do to avoid actually sitting down and writing…but writing it would be procrastinating again, right? Right. So what did I do? I decided to write a note to myself, reminding myself to write this very blog post. That way, my head would be clear to focus on the writing I was supposed to be doing. I looked about for a piece of paper – my desk is covered with them – but I couldn’t find the right piece of paper. A Post-it was too small, the back of a discarded print-out was too likely to get lost or thrown away, one of my idea notebooks was too permanent (I hate tearing pages out, and I hate having notes about completed projects or tasks sitting around in books – yeah, I know).

What the hell? I was doing it again! Over a piece of paper! Gah! I grabbed a piece of lined paper and scribbled down three lines. Ahhh. Now I was ready to get back to my novel. Wasn’t I? Actually, this time I was. I wrote over 4000 words yesterday. Go me!

But later on I got to thinking about this whole procrastination business, and I realised something: Procrastination – when done the right way – is actually a very useful tool for a writer. And how do you procrastinate in the right way? I’m glad you asked. There are two ways I know of:

Darkness versus horror

22nd July, 2013 / Zoë / 6 Comments

Dark fiction is gaining momentum as a genre in its own right, but is often mistaken for, and confused with, horror. I, like an increasing number of readers and writers, am fascinated by dark fiction, whereas I almost never read horror or watch horror movies – but what is the difference, really?

The answer is as subjective as any attempt to define a literary genre, but I can at least explain where my personal line is drawn. To me, horror is more graphic, more about describing horrific scenes in great detail so the reader can smell the blood, hear the sound of a knife sliding into flesh, and feel the thrill of revulsion. I have a lot of trouble reading books with scenes such as these, and they cause me terrible nightmares – I don’t personally understand the appeal, if I’m honest. Dark fiction, however, looks more into the minds and intentions of its characters, and in this way can be more disturbing without necessarily being gory at all. It is more subtle, where the threat of what a character is, or might be, capable of is actually more frightening than the deeds themselves. This is often demonstrated by the mere suggestion, or even anticipation, of horrific acts, but it leaves far more to the imagination of the reader.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there is a growing fascination with dark fairy tales, which leads us right back to the works of the Grimms, Perrault and other classic collections. This darkness in fairy tales relates to my description of dark fiction in that these traditional tales there rarely offer any detailed description of horrific acts; in fact they are often dealt with in a singularly matter-of-fact way. Terrible, gruesome things happen in traditional fairy tales, and it is, in part, this element that has always fascinated me. Here are some examples:

In early versions of Cinderella (or Ashenputel), the ugly step-sisters were convinced by their mother to cut off parts of their feet to fit into the lost shoe, in order to marry the prince.
The queen in Snow White was punished by being forced to dance in hot iron shoes until she fell down and died.
Bluebeard is a serial killer who murders his wives and hangs their bodies in a secret room in his chateau.
The Big Bad Wolf has his stomach cut open and its contents replaced with heavy stones, which cause him to fall into a well and drown.
Rapunzel’s prince falls from her tower and is blinded by the thorns on which he lands.
In the Norse Askeladden story of his eating contest with a troll, Askeladden convinces the troll to slit his own belly open, which he does (and dies, of course).

These are just a small sample of the many horrific things that occur in traditional fairy tales, and yet they are not told in a particularly gruesome way, which in my mind has always made them all the more disturbing. Let’s face it, half of this stuff is carried out by the heroes and heroines to punish the wicked, so we are left feeling like these atrocities are just desserts. That’s pretty messed up, when you think about it.

To boldly go

12th June, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

For some time now, I have been working closely with a small press in the UK with a view to eventually launching my own dark fiction imprint, Tenebris Books. Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan and my imprint slipped further and further into the background, never quite receiving the focus and attention it needed to get off the ground. But now, the founder of Kristell Ink, Sammy Smith, and I have decided to break away and start our own independent publishing house – Grimbold Books – under which Kristell Ink and Tenebris Books will operate as equals.

With our focus set on the genres that we love, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Dark Fiction, we will be able to give our authors the attention and support they need to achieve their writing and publishing goals. And at the same time, we aim to strengthen the relationships we have with bloggers, reviewers and readers to make sure our books are on the right radars.

Since announcing the change, Tenebris Books has already received several exciting new submissions, and we hope to make some announcements about our plans for the rest of 2013 and start planning our 2014 catalogue. Dark Fiction is hot right now, especially fairy tale-based stories, which is exactly what I love, as my regular readers already know.

If you’re interested in what’s in store for Grimbold and Tenebris, head over to the Grimbold Books website where you’ll find information about where we’ve been and where we’re going. You can also follow @GrimboldBooks on Twitter, or Like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrimboldBooks

Open mic night

16th April, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

A couple of times a year, Oslo’s Litteraturhuset (House of Literature) holds an open mic night for new writers of all kinds to come and share their work. Last week, I participated for the first time, reading the opening of my novel, Amaranth. I was lucky enough to have an entourage with me (fellow members of the Oslo International Writers’ Group) who not only cheered me on, but offered to take a video of my reading as well. Here is the result:

I was proud to participate in such a fun evening, and to receive such great support, not only from my friends, but from all who listened. The other participants read poetry, stories and novel fragments in both Norwegian and English, and were impressive in their range, skill and enthusiasm. Some were funny, others dramatic, but all were heartfelt and brave. I look forward to the next one in September.

Aloud

12th March, 2013 / Zoë / 0 Comments

At the January meeting of the Oslo International Writers’ Group, we decided that we would introduce readings this year. Previously, we have read each other’s work ahead of time and given critiques at the meetings, but now that we have a year behind us and we know each other quite well, it felt like time to break away from paper and share our work out loud.

Being the one who suggested it, I volunteered to go first, having brought along one of my pieces for what is currently being called The Oslo Anthology (we’re still deciding on a proper title). It was the first time I have ever read my work aloud to a group, and I was unusually nervous – public speaking doesn’t usually bother me, but this is a group of truly talented writers whose opinions I value and respect, and although they are unceasingly supportive, I didn’t know what the reaction would be.

I had originally intended to read a small section of the story which related to the wine we were drinking (a Hardy’s wine from the region of South Australia I grew up in, and in which part of the story is set). But when I’d finished the first part, I was quietly reluctant to stop – it had felt good to read it out loud, and I was enjoying hearing the story myself, in an odd way. When I paused, the group stayed silent for a moment, one or two sitting with their eyes partially closed, as if savouring the words the same way they had savoured the wine. And then I was suddenly surrounded by smiles and nods, followed by eager requests for me to read on. What more encouragement could I need? I continued.

What followed was everything a writer could ask for: laughter, gasps, and at the climax, a cheer! Then, when I’d finished, that same savouring pause . . . Then applause, bigger smiles, bigger nods. My story is based on an experience I’d had when I first moved to Norway, and these people are, as well as fellow writers, almost all expats, and they related. Success.

I went out of that meeting on a real high. But that was nothing compared to the high I experienced at last month’s meeting; three of my colleagues shared their work, and it was good. Really good. And let me say now, I am usually not a fan of poetry – but the two poems that were read were so honest in such different ways; one was lyrical, abstract and almost dreamlike, the other grounded, real and painful in its honesty – yet both left me with images and feelings as if I’d been right inside the head and heart of the readers. Then a third piece was read, this time a work of fiction, disturbing in both content and tone, written from the point of view of a twelve year old child, being lead into certain death by people she trusted. I was both sickened and grimly fascinated.

Book slump

20th February, 2013 / Zoë / 11 Comments

I have been so involved lately in the process of creating books, talking books, promoting books and so on, that I’ve suddenly began to flounder when it comes to choosing something to read for pure pleasure. With more books than ever flooding the marketplace, I’ve become overwhelmed by choice. There are so many books, being promoted by so many anxious authors trying to get theirs to the top of teetering reading lists, it’s harder than ever to find that gem in the rubble. I’ve been burned a few times lately by disappointing books, and it’s come to the point where it’s now really hard to make a decision to buy something, even after reading the sample. I have relatively little time for pleasure reading these days, and so obviously I want to spend that time reading great books.

So I throw the gauntlet to you, dear readers. Find my next book! I will purchase the book for my Kindle, read it and post my thoughts in a future post.

To help you, here is a selection of books I love, in no particular order:

The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
The Neverending Story – Michael Ende
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
Lovesong – Nikki Gemmell
Stardust – Neil Gaiman
The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
The Kitchen God’s Wife – Amy Tan

Of course there are millions of others, but this cross-section of my book collection might give you an idea of what I’d enjoy. By all means, if you are an author, recommend your own book. But tell me what it’s about and why I might like it. Leave your recommendations in the comments, and I’ll blog about any books I end up reading from the list, including why I chose them and what I thought of them – I’ll also post a review on Amazon.

Just so you know, I’m really not into horror, and not particularly fond of romance, though I don’t preclude books with these elements – I’m just not overly fond of the formulaic or gratuitous use of either.

Also, this little experiment doesn’t mean I’m going to turn this into a book review blog, I’m simply looking to get out of my current reading slump and will hopefully find something fantastic to entertain myself with, and subsequently tell everyone about. Vær så god, as we say in Norwegian (in this case, meaning off you go):

The Next Big Thing

6th November, 2012 / Zoë / 0 Comments

I was recently tagged in a game of “blog tag” by author Nola Sarina, who writes paranormal, fantasy and science fiction. The idea is to answer a series of questions about my current work in progress, so here goes:

What is the working title of your book?

Sweet Alyssum; it is part of ‘The Eidolon Cycle‘ series.

What genre does your book fall under?

If I’m to use acknowledged literary genres, Sweet Alyssum and the series it is part of is New Adult Paranormal Fiction. However, as I’ve said before, this series is something of a genre-buster. I believe it has wider appeal as far as age is concerned, and the paranormal element, while important, is not the most important part; rather it is a backdrop for what are essentially stories about individual young women facing very human challenges and conflicts.

Give a brief synopsis of your story.

Nicky Bailey witnessed her parents kill each other when she was only seven years old. Now, eleven years later, the imaginary friends she invented to help her through her trauma have reemerged and are insisting they are real. And dead. Nicky has never believed herself to be normal, but now she thinks she’s having a complete mental breakdown. It’s only when she finds an old photograph of one of these eidolons, as they call themselves, in a history book – a man who died in the 1920s – she has no choice but to accept their story, and her own family’s history.

When the eidolons tell her that she and what’s left of her family are in danger of attack from a woman Nicky only truly remembers from her nightmares, she must decide whether to stand strong and face her deepest fears, or run. But she soon discovers that her childhood home, her mother’s last words, and an old book of fairy tales may hold the secret to her strange visions, and maybe the key to her family’s survival.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Originally, this was to be a sequel to Amaranth. But when I began to explore the life of Nicky Bailey, who was eight years old in Amaranth, there was so much more going on that had nothing to do with Eva Hamilton (Amaranth’s protagonist). So I decided to write it as a standalone story which would incorporate elements and characters from the eidolon world, but would serve to enrich the cycle, rather than be part of the same storyline.

Part of the story is based on plans I originally had for Amaranth, but had to leave out as the book took on a life of its own, and the rest is inspired by Nicky herself. She’s a wonderful character to write, and I hope she is as lovable in her own story as she was as a small child in Amaranth.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Many writers build imaginary Hollywood casts from their characters, but this has never been something I’ve been very willing to do. The characters are so clear in my mind, putting someone else’s face, voice or mannerisms to them is almost impossible. I suppose I could see Nicky as a young Sandra Bullock, and Bridget, her therapist, something like a cross between Diane Weist and Julie Andrews. As for Andrew… perhaps Chris Hemsworth? Though that might have more to do with Joss Whedon’s cheeky writing for him in The Avengers than anything.

Tag!

To continue with the game, I’m tagging Sammy H.K Smith, Paige Daniels, Chelsea Ranger, Gisèle Le Chevallier and Audrey Camp. Over to you, ladies!

Playing both sides

28th September, 2012 / Zoë / 0 Comments

I read a great post on Rachelle Gardner’s blog by Aimee L. Salter about indie authors versus the traditionally published. Actually it is essentially about writers versus other writers, but it got me thinking.

Recently, two big things happened for me in the publishing industry: the first, as you may know, was that I signed with an agent who has just sent my first book out to publishers for consideration. The second is that I started up an indie publishing imprint, called Tenebris Books, under Holland House Books.

Aimee’s post reminded me of something I’ve thought about a few times since these events occurred – I’m playing both sides of the fence. Although I agree with Aimee in that I don’t think there should be such a divide between indie published-authors and traditionally published authors, I wonder whether those who see the divide as an Us vs Them situation would think my decision to start this imprint is somewhat hypocritical. After all, the authors I hope to publish would be on the opposite side of the writing fence to me, as I currently seek a legacy publisher for my own work.

However, I don’t think any author who seeks or has a traditional publishing contract has any right to put themselves above an indie published author. The choice to go independent is no longer a sign of a writer who has given up and is now slumming it. There are many legitimate reasons why someone might go independent, not least because they hope to make a career and a living out of writing, and independent royalties are often much higher than traditional ones. It might also be for for more individual attention from their editor, or for more say in content, cover art, marketing strategy or any number of decisions often taken out of the writer’s hands by a legacy publisher. And it’s a mistake to assume that independent publishers take on any old manuscript thrown their way; I know of books which have been rejected by independent publishers only to go on to success with agents and traditional publishers.

For my own part, what I am looking for with my imprint is something that may not find a home with a mainstream publishing house, and I may have the opportunity to give a home to books that might not find a place anywhere else. That doesn’t mean I’m planning to fill my catalogue with rejects, it means I’m seeking something that is not so much outside the box, but more that it has little bits of paper in many different boxes. I researched long and hard to see if I could find a name for what I’m looking for, and the closest thing I found was Weird Fiction, which hasn’t existed as an acknowledged literary genre since early last century. And why do I want this? Because I want to read it, and know others who do, too. All those people who watch and love films like Pan’s Labyrinth, Coraline, The Others, The Orphanage and love classic folk and fairy tales, they read books too, they just might not know where to find them. I want to help.

On the other side of the literary fence, which is simply a different shade of green, I’m hoping to land a publishing contract that will send my book(s) on a journey around the world. I’m starting out in the US, but Amaranth is actually not set in any specific country; the entire Eidolon Cycle is set in the fictitious city of Lennox, which could be anywhere that has big cities, a coastline, and where it snows in winter. I wanted to write something that any reader could feel close to, like it might be happening right where they live, or somewhere they once visited. Like Springfield on The Simpsons, only on an international scale. Part of why I wanted a traditional publisher is the international reach; they can get my book into hands that might not have found it without them. I won’t pretend there isn’t a little bit of validation involved, if I’m honest, but really the best and most important validation comes when people are reading and enjoying what you’ve written, no matter who got the book from writer to shelf.