Novel Born

Greetings Friends,

 

As summer rolls in, I am about to start my most intense period of writing.  I am intent on finishing at least one solid draft of one novel-and maybe getting half way through another.  They are from different fantasy series so that should be interesting.  In the world of the novelist, it is a lonely place.  I often feel a lot like the wolf in this photo-all alone in the bleak forest.    After many volumes of notes and making various drafts on characters and your world (especially if it is a secondary world-my go to place for novels) there comes a time to get serious-and do it.   It means walking to my computer and actually writing.  It is a marvelous thing-to create the novel, give birth to new fantasy tales and characters.  It is also maddening.   The mind-set of a writer is not like most people.  We are strange lone wolves, set  apart and often misunderstood.  This is fine.  I do not mind being different. It makes me what I am.  A writer.  So I will try to blog throughout the summer, and between haunting my wonderful friend/publisher/editor Joe Dickerson for results on galley/cover art for Tree of Bones, (Are you there Joe?  Can you hear me?) I will be at my desk or in a coffee house somewhere in Seattle furiously working on my tales of magic and adventure.  It is what I love to do-even if my characters often vex me with problems and demands.  I am a novelist-and they are novel born.         

Stop Wolf Hunts-On the subject of what is right

 

Dear Readers,

I normally do not let my personal beliefs color my writing blog, which is devoted to fantasy and science fiction.  But some things are too close to my heart and painful not to voice from time to time.
To any state allowing "wolf hunts" I beg you to stop this madness and ban wolf hunting.
To anyone who hunts wolves-in my personal opinion you are vile and soulless.
That also goes for anyone who hunts elephants, seals, whales, wolves-it is wrong.  They have the right to live. 
Yes, the worst monsters are human.

The Weary Author

Am very tired.  Brain cells are shriveled.  Blogging an effort.  This is all I can manage.  See image below for symbolic image of how I feel....


Talk to you next week.  I am going to hide in a den of solitude.

Verna McKinnon

Curses!

Okay, one of the things I love about "Once Upon a Time" is their handling of curses and their system of magic  It is pretty consistent.  That is very key in writing fantasy or science fiction-CONSISTENCY.
Sometimes magical rules evolve slowly -like the magic in Game of Thrones.  It is much more elusive and mysterious, but in a way they are being consistent.   Their magic is changing in their world, as is the world itself. 
But your magical or science fiction tech rules and how carefully you construct them are very important in writing these genres.  If you are not consistent with your rules and structure, you may be subject to the following annoyed scowl from publishers and critics-



Lesson done.  The sun is shining in Seattle, I intend to go enjoy it. 

Verna

Recycling Magic

There are so many old themes in fantasy & science fiction that are done over and over-King Arthur scenarios, monsters & bad guys that are dead but revive or come back (horror flicks are guilty of this to point of stupidity), Tolkien "inspired" tales, and vampire forbidden love.  The list goes on and on-I am just giving a few examples.  It does get a bit old.  But it is also encouraged for some reason, as though an original spark is something to be feared and therefore avoided.
The point is-let's be original sometimes.  You can put an original spin on a classic theme and make it work.  David Eddings mastered that with two of my favorite series -The Belargiad and the Mallorean.  When you break it down, the tale is very much like a King Arthur & the sword in the stone kind of thing.  But he made it better and more interesting.  He set it on a secondary world with new characters and races and made it wonderful and original.   Now I am not sure if that is what he actually had in mind, but theme is there-only better. 
An English Professor once told me there are only 9 original plot ideas in the universe and you need to work to make them fresh and innovative.  You have to figure out what makes your story or character special and gives that old worn out plot a sparkly shine.
It is easy to follow the current trends and do the same thing over and over, especially since everyone tells you that is what everyone wants.   The results of this are evident-all you have to do is look at the book shelves in teen/young adult fantasy aisle in any bookstore and you see the same thing over and over-vampire love stories and urban witches with cool tattoos.  This is what the literary world wants.
I say bulls*#%! .


you heard me

Current trends are just that-current.  The flavor of the moment.  They are not always the solid winners and will not always remain showcased.  If that were the case-so many books and movies would never have been successful.  Harry Potter would never have been a best selling series of books and movies,  No one wanted Star Wars or Star Trek when they were conceived-look at the impact those two franchises have had for decades!  Steampunk would not be gaining steam (yes-I punned) You must to stay true to your ideas- even if those around you tell you different.  Do not be a pod person.  Follow your own literary bliss.  How you develop the story and characters is up to you and that is what will make it original in its own right-and better.
That is the difference between a dull recycled story and a new adventure worthy of a good read or watch.   So mark it with your own imaginative flare and do it!   

Verna McKinnon





 

A Game of Genres (& rants!)

Okay, sometimes I get vexed with the Internet and the casual acceptance of things that are incorrect or presented badly.  Let me give you an example using a popular TV show right now-Game of Thrones.
Just today I was  reading in an entertainment section (will not say from whom or which site) that Games of Thrones is, and I quote,  a "wildly popular medieval television drama."
This statement curdles my good mood because the show and the books they are adapted from (the great George R.R. Martin) is not medieval!!!!  It is not even set on earth.  Medieval means set in our medieval era on earth-though I personally doubt the writer could define which centuries medieval actually covers.  Just because they use swords and wear long dresses they stamp that definition on Game of Thrones.  In my opinion they are wrong.  Is it similar to a medieval world-yes to a point.  But it is not earth and more importantly-IT IS FANTASY!!!!!
Yes, swallow that shameful word-Fantasy!  A fantasy show-and in a way since it is set on a secondary world (meaning earth-like but not earth) it is partially Science Fiction, the shameful sister of Fantasy!!!
I get frustrated because so many people try to diminish the genre of fantasy (and science fiction).  They try to make it unworthy of attention and not really good enough to be literature.  People have actually said to me that it is so badly written (of course these folks have never really even read science fiction or fantasy).  Isn't it odd they feel they have the right to judge it?
Games of Thrones is fantasy-dark and full of complex characters and politics-but it is still fantasy.
Like I said, I am not sure what George thinks-this is just my opinion.
But they still make me mad!  Since I am a lady will express my disdain without swearing but instead use this picture of a very angry owl for a visual representation of my anger.
 

 
Verna McKinnon

"Snow White: My Story" now available to read!

My short story, "Snow White: My Story," is now available to read on my website in the featured story section.   Have a wonderful read!  It has humor, horror, and some twists.  I have always loved fairy tales and Snow White has always been a favorite.  I took the original tale and answered some questions that always bugged me-why did her stepmother want her heart?  Why the hot iron slippers?  Who were the dwarf folk really?  Many who have only seen the Disney version of Snow White and most of the other film versions do not even know about the hot iron slippers that wicked stepmother was forced into as punishment.  Well, original tales are not rated and the reader was quickly taught that being wicked has a price.
That's the thing-the fairy tale heroines were always put through a lot of hardship, grief, and terror-but in the end their goodness was rewarded and the evil was defeated!  If only life were like that? 
And the heroines are not passive-though I think they have been edited down the years.  Well, enjoy my story and let me know what you think of it.  Let's talk about our favorite fairy tales on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/verna.mckinnon?ref=tn_tnmn

Verna McKinnon