Chaos of Creativity

Being creative is not neat. It is not tidy. There is no linear circuit or smooth straight pass on the road to imagination.
It is messy-much like a teenager's room with the rumpled bed, hidden Twinkies, beloved stuffed animals, loud music, secret diaries with tiny keys and your favorite faded jeans rescued from mom's ironing board.
My writing room (which I share with my husband Rick, who is also a writer) is stuffed with piles of books and magazines, file cabinets, two computers, two printers, cork boards covered with writing charts, cards and colorful fantasy/science fiction prints. My desk is clogged with overstuffed notes and chapter drafts, little dragons and pewter figurines of sorceresses and stuffed animals. Stacks of Cd's teeter by the stereo to provide inspirational music for battle scenes.
But it is within this condensed madness that my mind flows clear. It is my imagination wellspring that draws out of stories I type out, even when my cat Duncan insists on helping me by flopping between keyboard and monitor to oversee my efforts. This is what makes me happy. I have a small green toy baby cthulhu propped up on my stack of folders, guarding my ideas and a stuffed toy sloth in honor of Buzzy hanging from the desk and an large stuffed owl that so reminded me of Belwyn, it sits above me on the desk shelf making sure I do not abuse my adjectives.
It is not crowded to me. It is my comfort zone. All writers need a comfort zone. You need to find out what your comfort zone is and dive in. Maybe some of you are very uncluttered and work only in pristine monastic conditions. Some of you are more crazy- like me. But we all need to find that creative space to achieve our goals-which is to write!
Write people! Because when you are a writer, that is the only thing that makes you happy in this world. Just find out where it works for you and dig in.
Baby cthulhus make great guardians by the way.
More later.
Verna

Chris Speakman's Review of Gate of Souls

Hello Familiar's Tale Friends!
Here is the link to Chris Speakman's review of Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale, Book One,

http://www.freewebs.com/chrischatreviews/2009gateofsouls.htm

I will probably read it over and over, eating drobba until reality slaps me back to my writing.

Dragons and Critics

What a summer! My editing with my publisher, Joe Dickerson of HD-Image, has been moving along for release of Tree of Bones. I am also heavy into writing "Fires of Rapiveshta," the third entry into my Familiar's Tale series. Fires of Rapiveshta storyline involves the dragons of my world. In the prologue of Tree of Bones, you get some cool dragon action though. I have so many ideas buzzing in my characters outlines that I am dying to tell you, but I must keep things underwrap for now.
I did have a recent wonderful and unexpected review on my book Gate of Souls. Chris Speakman just reviewed by book and I am amazed how much she loved my book. Usually my publisher and friends sings my praises, which yes I love it, but when someone you do not know praises you, it is a special warm and fuzzy feeling. Much like Mellypip after eating a yummy drobba snack. Thank you Chris, and I promise you will not be disappointed in the coming books in my Familiar's Tale series. Will also send you Tree of Bones for review.
Back to reality and editing now. Sigh.
More to come later.

Edit, edit, edit....and yet more edits

I am in the heavy process of editing the second book in my "Familiar's Tale" series, entitled "Tree of Bones," with my publisher, Joe Dickerson. It is a fun time though, because we go back and forth with fun perspectives on the story and characters, as well as make suggestions and catching teeny but annoying typos.
Working with a small publisher has it pluses and minuses. The minus is trying to get into the bookstores, even small ones. Again, the market is tough for everyone now. I did score a big success with Barnes & Noble when they picked up Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale, Book One, and ordered a small but respectable number of copies for actual store placement. This was a wonderful example of the larger corporation wanting to support the smaller book publisher. This may seem like a small victory, but for small publishing houses and their diligent and struggling writers, it is a mammoth success worthy of champagne and chocolate.
But despite our topsy-turvy existence, the plus of writing for a small publishing house is the personal attention you get from your editor. At least it is for me. My publisher is very supportive and knows that things take time. They are open and do not try to change my vision of what I write. I love working with Joe when we edit. It is almost as much fun as writing the book (except for the chapters where I bang my head against a virtual wall when stuck on some literary trouble spot)
One point I would like to make, is the quality of small publishing houses is first rate. Gone are the days when substandard writing was the product of the independent publisher. Not just my own house, HD-Image, but many small independent houses are putting out great work, even though they too have tough times getting bookstore placement. They sell by whatever means necessary, and use a variety of formats. E-books and PDF format downloads for example. In this ever changing technical world, times are changing. I love the traditional book. Yes, I am an old-fashioned girl. I love book covers and the tactile feel of paper on my fingertips.
But I will sell my book by any means necessary too.
I recently sat on an interesting panel at Baycon 2009 in Santa Clara, where we talked about small publishing houses. Really marvelous novels and short stories are bring produced by the independent publisher and written by not only new struggling writers, but by many seasoned and well-published authors with great resumes with big publishers.
The point is-the work is a labor of love, whether it is through a major publisher or a tiny struggling publishing house using the tools of the web to survive in this ever changing publishing world. Small publishers are not just for lazy writers who submit stories that are good, but not good enough for their bigger publishers. That attitude is just wrong. You can no longer use that judgment. There is some wonderful stuff out there, and these authors just want to do what all good writers desire-tell a great story.
I believe that being a storyteller is important. That magic of storytelling-and the venue in which it is presented, will always be there. I think you just have to be creative about where you look.

Mourning

I was prepped to do a lavish blog about my participation at Baycon 2009 in Santa Clara at the end of May. I was exhausted and as I also have a day job along with my scribal vocation, I put off for another week. Then I received news that one of my favorite fantasy writers, David Eddings, died this week.

He was a wonderful storyteller. He will be missed.

Therefore, I dedicate this week to David Eddings' memory.

I will be back next week about me. Now I am in literary mourning.

The Dark Tales of Obsydia

Also great news about a series of short stories I have done set in my world of A Familiar's Tale.
My first short story about Obsydia the Bloodstone Queen, called The Bloodstone Queen, was published in Aberrant Dreams webzine a few months back. I am happy to say there will be more short stories set during the Bloodstone Age in which the immortal Queen Obsydia ruled. I have always had a fascination for the dark fairy tale queens of old, and when I conceived of Obsydia, I wanted to create dark wicked beauty and power beyond imagination. A character of my own design in originality. I wanted unique and shadowy. I wanted a Queen of Shadows.
Obsydia, daughter of the dark god Ahridum and a mortal seer, born in a dark tower and woke 13 nights after her birth a fully grown woman. Her hair is literally shadow that curls around her death pale face of flawless beauty, silver moon eyes that see all, and lips red as blood. Red as blood is fairy tale speak, but it applies to Obsydia.
She will also play a significant part in my book series, A Familiar's Tale.
After all , in a world of heroes, there must be great evil to fight. Obsydia is that evil.
I wanted Obsydia to be the most primal of all wicked queens.
I will let you be the judge.


This is a darker time for my world in which evil had power and the heroes fought to being back the Light. The stories are set about a thousand years before the story in "Gate of Souls," though because of the magical rules of my world, you will meet some familiar characters that are in the Familiar's Tale series.
I hope you enjoy these tales.
Back to writing, after a drobba break.

A Successful Book Signing for "Gate of Souls"!

Greetings fans of all things Familiar!

So sorry that it's been a while since my last entry. I have been busy writing my third entry in my Familiar's Tale series, Fires of Rapiveshta, and editing the second, Tree of Bones.

I had a book signing recently at Borders Express bookstore at the Sun Valley Mall in Concord, CA. They are wonderful folks and so kind to let an unknown writer have a book signing, especially in these hard times. I was at first hesitant about a book signing, as I am not a well known writer (though I long to be princess of heroic fantasy tales) and this is my first published novel. But I am not shy either, and I managed to sell quite a few books in just a couple hours. I even surprised myself! I had such fun! And I sold many books! My husband, Rick, also took pictures which will be posted to site.

I must also thank the wonderful artists that created magnificent cover art-Henning Ludvigsen and Natascha Roeoesli-that attracted potential readers to my table. It is beautiful and the product of true artists. I also found that people are eager, even hungry, for a good new fantasy and my book attracted a variety of folks.

I also met some enthusiastic girls in their teens, desperate for a great female heroine to read about. My Runa (in Gate of Souls) is a very positive character and I know people will love her courage, humor, and strength. My book is aimed at fantasy readers of all ages, but I know this tale will appeal to girls desperate for a female heroine. I have my share of male heroes with characters like Darcus and Cathal, so this series will appeal to just about anyone who loves a good fantasy. And my wicked characters, such as Koll and Xabral, provide the danger and suspense. I also have new adversaries rising in my second book, Tree of Bones, but as I

am editing that book with my publisher, Joseph Dickerson, I must not say too much yet.

But now I feel confident that anywhere I go, whether it be a book signing or reading, I can soothe the bookseller's fears, as my book does sell quite well.

More blogging later. I promise not to be lazy. Really.