ONE MORE SECRET...

SABLE ANGEL

I think there should be an epilogue to the last chapter of "Do You Want to Know a Secret," as our beautiful Angel sister, Sable, didn't include a description of all her accomplishments in her posts. Since she is humble about this, I'll start the ball rolling and hope the other Angels have time to join in. 

I was first impressed by all the adventures Sable has lived. Seems like most of her life has been spent traveling and experiencing things most people only dream of--like walking a runway as a model and hanging out with rock bands. 

I came to know Sable after she married her soul mate and settled in Oregon. They moved out of state on yet another adventure, then returned (hooray!) to be closer to family. At that time, Sable added yet another accomplishment to her already long list: she became a devoted stepmom and step-grandma.

And did I mention she is also a talented editor and writer of a number of different genres?

Sable, I'm so glad your adventures brought you back to Oregon. May you always wear your wings proudly!

How do you end an adventure you love?

Is this really the end of the rainbow?

 

 

You've set the background and introduced all the players. Your readers will think they know who the bad guy is and who is the good guy, but will they really?

 

The story began with slow determination and quickly rushed to a frenetic pace forcing the reader to keep track of all the twists and turns. You're loving all the action and drama. You like your characters and their personal flaws. You like the interaction between them. So how do you end a tale you love?

 

If you figure out an easy way... please let me know. It's at this point, writers drop their heads and mumble something inaudible.

 

"What?" you ask.

 

"I said I let my characters decide how to end the story."

 

Most people look at you as though you've just grown a third arm or second head.

 

"You let your characters tell you how to end the story." Disbelief hangs heavy in the air as your friends proceed to take three steps back toward the exit.

 

It's a complicated concept understood by every writer on the planet [and a few in space, too.]. Yes, all novels are created by writers, however, the flow of inspiration often resembles the ocean. Some days the waves pound the beach; some days they sneak in and caress the sand. So it goes with the ebb and flow of a story.

 

Usually toward the end with the tying up of details, the inspiration and ending crash together at the same time allowing the novelist the opportunity to type 'The End' and know everything has been carefully plotted and brought to an acceptable conclusion.

 

In some cases the writer's fingers are all set to type those desirable last two words and something else appears on the page and throws the creator for a loop.

 

So it was with the first, and I thought ONLY, Dragon book. I had presented characters and locations, intertwined a little intrigue and conniving and was set to wrap up the story when the characters hijacked me. Instead of 'the end', my characters committed me to six or seven more books by having my fingers type, "This is just the beginning."

 

WHAT? So not what I was expecting. What is that saying about Dragons? Never turn your back on an angry dragon because you are small and crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

 

They're temperamental but our characters will win every time.

 

Sable Angel

 



Second chances

Getting a second chance to redo what one considers a mistake seldom happens in real life. I don't know anyone who would say no to the opportunity.

However... in the world where I live, second chances happen all the time!

Being a writer has some obvious advantages and some not so obvious advantages.

The obvious advantages are being able to create a world that is run by rules you set yourself. You can make the sky purple and the grass orange. Your world can be populated by talking creatures or telepathic humanoids. If you so desire, you can create a character who has many traits similar to someone who really peeves you and kill them. AND NOT GO TO JAIL!

The not so obvious advantages are creating characters similar to yourself and having them engage in a journey mirroring your life; except, the character will make all the right decisions and have no regrets. Whatever bothers you, as a writer, you can change.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to complete another edit on the first books I had published. That having been said, I can only thank the publisher from the bottom of my heart for actually taking a chance on me and my writing.

Now, some writers argue against rewriting your first books.

"It will show you how far you've come as a novelist."

Fine, they can wax poetic about how wonderful they've become but I want the opportunity to make sure all the work with my name attached is the best it can be. I now have that chance.

Second chances apply to many things. Maybe horseback riding didn't quite go the way you wanted when you were ten. Why not try now? You're closer to the horse's back than you were at ten.

Same goes with any sport. Once you get past the age of 'gotta win, gotta win, gotta win at any cost' you can do over all those favorite childhood past times.

Nobody is too old for jump rope or marbles!

Start your second chance today.

Sable Angel

Letting go -- when is the right time to kill off a favorite character?

It's here. Once again, moms and dads are bundling up kids and sending them off to school... and sighing in relief because the house will be quiet for a few hours.

September always comes with a dichotomy of feelings. Days are sometimes as hot as August but with a different feel to the air. The sky's not quite so blue and the leaves are heaving their last sigh of life for the year. Animals are shedding summer coats and the difference in season is physical. It's time to let go of the summer.

This blog is about letting go -- of the season, of children be they young or old and of favorite characters in a book.

As a muggle [yes, I'm a Harry Potter geek], I was horrified when characters were killed in the wizard series. As a writer, I understand and can see the loss of said characters actually moved the story forward. But how did J.K. Rowling decide who to kill and why? A tough decision.

How do we, as writers of our own worlds and characters, make the sometimes difficult choice of who to kill and when?

It's a plotting issue. When your bad guy (or gal) has come to the end of their usefulness, you need to question how their presence in the story will make things move forward. If you can't see how they can be used to your best advantage as the storyteller, then it's time to think about their demise.

This also applies to the good guys and gals. If they've become redundant and they no longer sparkle in the story, maybe it's time to have them leave town for a loooooonnnnnggg visit to a monastery in Tibet. This may be your favorite character but if you can't find a relevant reason for them to be in the story--move on and move them out.

Keep in mind as the writer you have the ability to resurrect them in a sequel or write a similar character in another story.  [Too bad we can't do that to ex-husbands and those who hurt our children.]

Rogues Angels Present Checkin in Day

Ferris Wheel Awesome!

It's Check In Day.

Time to pay the piper! How did you do? How much did you write? Did words explode on your WIP?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Well, I'm still back to working on Sweet Talkin' Sugar. I discovered that I needed to go back and read what I'd written. Still have finished that but hope to have last weeks chapter done this week.

How was your week?

Rogues Angels Present Extension by L. V. Pires

Please welcome L. V. Pires author of Extension.

The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Leave a comment using the Rafflecopter code below to enter to win.

Extension

by L.V. Pires

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

After having been cryogenically suspended for eighteen years, Oliver Conroy is brought back to life and given a second opportunity to live out his dreams. Velcron Technologies assures Oliver there’s nothing wrong with the procedure. Excited to find his family and finish his senior year at Sierra Vista High, Oliver ventures out into the new and very different world.

Across town, Colby Patterson, Sierra Vista’s star student, has just experienced his soul torn from his body and returned to its original owner, Oliver, leaving him empty, void of emotion, a psychopath, who is now determined to get his soul back using any means necessary.

When Oliver comes to realize he’s being pursued by Colby he must decide what to do. Can he defend himself against this soulless psychopath? Will he be able to bring himself to murder? And, if so, what will happen to his soul?

It’s a battle for the ultimate prize – ownership of the soul.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

Colby woke on the cold floor. Only one of his eyes worked. The other was sealed shut. He pulled himself to sitting, feeling every inch of his body bruised and sore. An ache radiated inside of him like his ribs were broken. Blood dripped from a cut on his lip. He smeared it away with the back of his hand, then looked down at his arms and saw burn marks seared across his flesh. The same red marks covered his legs. Colby struggled to his feet and looked around to orientate himself.

He wasn’t in the room he had been brought to when he first arrived to Velcron. This room was a laboratory—a dimly lit one. The floor was smooth and polished, with a metal table was in the middle of the room. Silver chutes lined one wall, a metal door on the other. He hobbled to the door and tried the handle not really thinking it would work, but determined to escape. He had to get out.

           

He remembered the last thing Dr. Wang had said. Take him to the vaporization room. Colby turned around again and saw a shower on the far end of the room—the vaporization shower. He had heard about it before. It was used in prisons to execute criminals. A prisoner would be forced into the chamber and ultrasonic lasers would shoot out of the showerhead, vaporizing the victim into oblivion. Now, they were going to try to execute him without any just cause. He hadn’t even had a trial. There was no jury, no witnesses called forth to testify, no judge to hear his version of the truth. All of it was a set-up, to annihilate him and keep him quiet, but why?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Young Adult author L.V. Pires lives near Baltimore, Maryland.

She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Master’s in Education and the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor's in English. She is currently working towards her MFA in Creative Writing at Spalding University.

Her work includes "The Portrait" (Gypsy Shadow Publishing), "Summer of Winged Creatures" (Saturday's Child Press) and EXTENSION (6/15/14, Crescent Moon Press).

Follow her at lisavpires.com

Twitter at @lisavpires 

www.facebook.com/lisavpires

http://www.amazon.com/Extension-L-V-Pires-ebook/dp/B00L18UZ8W/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402928528&sr=1-1&keywords=extension

Use this rafflecopter code to enter to win: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f304/

Rogues Angels Present: Love in Bloom by Rosemary Indra

Title: Love in Bloom

Author: Rosemary Indra

Email: indrascloset@msn.com

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 2

Buy at: www.roguephoenixpress.com

Buy at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Love-Bloom-Rosemary-Indra-ebook/dp/B00DTT8I9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385061899&sr=1-1&keywords=Love+in+Bloom+by+Rosemary+Indrq

Buy at Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-bloom-rosemary-indra/1115966810?ean=2940148160854

When childhood friends reunite it takes two fairies and a matchmaking daughter to help them admit their true love for each other.

EXCERPT

Mattie Harrison sat up in bed when two golden lights floated down beside her. The shimmering lights from her fairies caused excitement to bubble within Mattie in anticipation of their visit. For as long as she could remember, the two fairies were her constant companions. Tonight she had something important to ask them.

Cara sat cross-legged on Mattie's pillow. Kendra adjusted her green dress several times before she too sat down. Mattie looked down at her small friends then crossed her legs in front of her mimicking the way they sat.

Every so often Kendra's wings fluttered. Mattie knew she preferred playing than sitting still but tonight Mattie needed someone to talk to. Like always, Cara listened quietly as Mattie described her day and her plans for tomorrow.

When the fairies stood, their transparent wings flapped as they started to take flight. "Can you stay a little longer?" Mattie asked quickly.

Cara gracefully bowed her head and moved closer to the little girl. "What's troubling you tonight lass?"

A smile touched Mattie's lips at the sound of the fairy's soft voice. Cara had brown hair similar to her own. She always had suggestions and Mattie felt calm after talking to her.

They'd visit every evening when she went to bed to say goodnight. Mattie had asked her father for a nightlight not because she was afraid of the dark but so she could see the fairies easier without scaring them with the bright overhead light.

"My dad is very lonely." Mattie knew what she wanted but all of a sudden she didn't know what to say. She looked at her friends. "Can you help me find a wife for him?"

"Mattie it's bedtime. Quiet down," her father's voice carried down the hallway. "Tell your friends to go home."

Cara tapped her index finger against her lips and looked thoughtful.

"He doesn't believe in fairies," Kendra whispered. "That might be hard. He doesn't have faith in us."

"We haven't even started and you're already negative." Cara put her hands on her hips then glanced at Mattie, "You have to remember a non-believer doesn't like interference."

Feeling disheartened Mattie's lower lip started to tremble. She'd given this a lot of thought. After much consideration, Mattie knew she'd needed help to find a wife for her dad.

"We'll see what we can do." Kendra looked at Mattie her expression softened. "We'll help you."

Both fairies nodded. Now she'd have assistance in her quest. Satisfied, Mattie relaxed against her pillows.

When her father opened her bedroom door, light from the hallway flooded in casting elongated shadows across the room. The fairies instant disappearance didn't trouble Mattie. She knew as soon as her dad left the room they would return.

Her father stood beside her bed looking down at her. With dark circles under his eyes he appeared worried and concerned. He leaned down and pulled the blankets up to her chin.

"Dad, everything will work out." Mattie kissed his cheek. "Night."

"Goodnight sweetie. No more talking. You need some sleep. We're going to see grandma tomorrow."

After her father left the room, Mattie sat up in bed. She glanced at her friends who once again sat beside her on the pillow. Mattie raised her hands and wiggled her fingers in front of her. "Do you have any fairy dust to sprinkle on him?"