The disturbing TV trend of serial killers

Happy Monday

One thing that has been vexing me of late is the focus on serial killers for TV.  I am not saying that these shows lack good writing and the actors are often superb (James Purefoy!) But I am sick of seeing serial killers be the heroic central characters of these shows.  I am not talking about grey characters like as Xena with a dark past but now want to do good type of characters.  I am talking evil sociopath shells who will make a coat of your skin main characters that are put up on a pedestal and revered weekly.  They win every week and what little good that is after them is stupid or weak.
Shows like Dexter and the Following are even more disturbing than vampire romances.  Vampire Diaries and True Blood are bad -they give glamour to someone who will make you a happy meal and somehow they try to make them sympathetic and lonely.  Does anyone have a stake and holy water kit?
But far worse are shows are like Dexter and the Following.   And Hannibal?  Really?  Really!!!  No amount of good scripting make these shows appetizing (yes I punned) They make my skin crawl.  And no matter how much I adore James Purefoy I will not watch them.
Where is the chosen one-the Buffy, Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman on television now?  Where is the heroic Julie and Mark of V movies and TV (original movies not redo).  Where are the heroes?   Why did Legend of the Seeker get cancelled?  Does anyone fight evil anymore?
This makes me sad and concerned.  Wicked in a story has a purpose.  But where is the opposing force of good and light?  Without that it is just twisted stories that make you want to take a disinfectant shower.  What they are doing now is not just wicked-it is sick and perverted with no redeeming qualities.      
Thank you for listening to my rant.  And James Purefoy- you deserve better.  You are also my first choice for Cathal the Sorcerer if my book is ever optioned for film.

Verna McKinnon
     

Trolls, Ogres and Monday Morning

Monday....I feel sensitive to sunlight like a troll, if you go my the mythology of Tolkien, and want to crawl into a dark hole and hibernate  Oddly, I have not had anything with alcohol this weekend and have eaten rather well (we will not discuss the chocolate cake on Friday night) but the creative mind is angry when you shut down and do not work like you promised.   
By work of course I mean my writing.  The composition of epics is time consuming.  I bow to any writer who has created and published multi-volume epic science fiction and fantasy masterpieces.  I have many of these literary giants on my book shelves.  They include George R.R. Martin, David Eddings, Tolkien, Glen Cook, Tanith Lee, Roger Zelazny, and Larry Niven-to name a few.  I want to be just like you when I grow up.
Procrastination with a dash of lazy is common among writers and it is easy to fall into that black hole.  The odd thing is that once I force myself to open my laptop, I can stay there in writing bliss for hours. I am not aware of the time slipping away as I am in my happy place creating magic and battle scenes with a favorite soundtrack blasting in the background.  Of course, when I am done I feel like a  bit like a creaky ogre-hunched over, twisty and stiff.  I have discovered yoga is a must for those of us that write.  Otherwise I would not be able to stand up straight. 
But I am happy.  A author is always happier when they write, even if they end up feeling like a cranky ogre.  It's a balance I think.  So next weekend I shall march into my writing haven and create some literary magic.  And do some yoga!  More later.

Verna McKinnon
    

  

Welcome New Followers & Old

A special big thank you to my new followers on my blog and website.   Also an equally big shout out to my stoic followers from before.  I hope to have a long and fun relationship with all of you as I walk the rocky road to literary success.  I also plan to whip up more support as I fight for the release of my latest novel and find an agent for my other book I am writing now (The Goblin Cabal, first of a 3 book series).  It has two female heroines in the lead-and they rock.  There will be demons and magic and bards.  Plus one cute Prince who is in dire need of rescue.  Need I say more?
I will also be posting a new short story soon to my blog that has been released from exclusivity!  it called Snow White: My Story,  and was published by the wonderful anthology Mystic Signals and edited by the brilliant Carol Hightshoe.  This story was in Mystic Signals, issue13, and released in April 2012.  It is still available for purchase on Amazon or through the publisher The Lorelei Signal.  See the cool cover below. 

 I love fairy tales and decided to write my own version of Snow White.  So many have made it too fluffy over the decades or were just plain weird, so  I included some of the older and darker elements from the original tale, plus added humor and some explanation as to why some things were done.   Why Snow White's heart?  Who were those wily Dwarfs really?  Fairy tales are dark tales of morality, where even though there is a happy ending, it holds many grim tests for the heroines.  I hope you will enjoy it.  I will blog as soon as it is posted for  reading on my website.  

My book on kindle and other rumors

Hail Friends,

It is April!  Sunshine.  Spring.  creative juices are flowing.  Energy is blooming and ideas churning as I write.  Spring cleaning also possessed me this weekend and I assaulted our writing room.  I reorganized bookcases and my desk.  No small task.  I purged junk and redid my hard copy files and stacks of insane creative writing notes and chapters.  Are dust bunnies dangerous?


On other notes-my publisher assures me that my book will be on kindle soon.  It will be nice to see Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale, book 1 on kindle and plus I will be really reasonably priced (rumor has it $1.99).    Who says you can't get great quality at a low price?  I am trying to get a firm date from him (Joe-are you there?) about when I can look on Amazon and see my novel on kindle.
Also my book cover for Tree of Bones (book 2 of A Familiar's Tale) is apparently forming into reality. 
Be creative and have fun.  And beware of dust bunnies.

Verna McKinnon

Classic Reading

For those interested in exploring great science fiction & fantasy literature, a great deal of it is available for free or minimal cost online or on Kindle (my book should be on Kindle soon ).   Examples of truly imaginative writers to sample include-
 1.Ray Bradbury
2. Edgar Rice Burroughs
3. Jules Verne
4. Robert E. Howard
5. Isaac Asimov
6. Larry Niven (a sweetheart and great man I met at a convention in San Jose)
7. Ben Bova (met him @ Radcon convention in Washington.  He is fascinating and tells wonderful stories)

These are just a few of the many great writers from the classic time of the genre, though personally I hate the word "genre" anymore.  Good writing knows no genre!  Check them out & expand the mind.  Enjoy great story telling-these classic authors go back to the golden era  of science fiction and fantasy when imagination was key.  Enjoy feeding your brain.  Later!

Verna McKinnon

Literary Weekend

It's Friday!  So the weekend is ripe for opportunity and creativity.  This weekend I will work on my new book-The Goblin Cabal.    I have some fun and interesting characters.  It is heroic fantasy with a female heroine-well 2 heroines-as they become best friends and comrades.  They will find conspiracies and evil-including demons.  Am excited.  I want to cheer for my characters.  I am also tired of vampires and such being portrayed as good guys or sympathetic-nothing against vampires in the genre but they have taken up too much space and let's face it-they are vampires.  Slay them!  Where is Buffy when you need her?  I want some fantasy to return to its roots.  I want heroes!  I want complex story lines and interesting characters.  You cannot make someone who wants to eat you for dinner be a hero-no matter how hard you try.    

A Fantasy Journey

I am busy writing first draft of a new book series (separate from my beloved Familiar's Tale series) and the first book's working title is "The Goblin Cabal," and the series (which at this point is a trilogy) is called "The Adventures of the Rose & Sparrow."  My heroine is very cool but am keeping her under wraps.   Am deep in writing those chapters and changing things with new ideas.  Do not worry I am still working on my "Familiar's Tale" books.  But I need to expand my many story ideas and actually get them down on paper-or keyboard.  That is what a writer does-they write.  I am also hunting for a good literary agent.   More coming.

Verna McKinnon