Thanks to Angela for pointing me to the WIKISKY site in one of her comments. What a great way to tour the known universe, gaze at photos of galaxies, nebula and supernovas, or look for specific astronomical entities.
WIKISKY has been added to the list of references under SCI FI 101 side bar at the right.
Thanks again for the link, Angela.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
And Furthermore...
This goes along with my Pact With my Readers post. I saw this quote today and I thought, "Yes. That is so true."
A couple of my close writing buddies have done very well for themselves writing Erotica. There's a huge market for it, and they've sold many short stories and novels. I really gave this a lot of thought as a way to break into the industry. I even tried my hand at writing an erotica short. My conclusion? Writing for a sale isn't really why I write. I write to share a story--usually a long, complex story with characters who have lost much and are about to lose more. Erotica just doesn't seem to fulfill my muse's quest.
I believe writers must write what inspires them--not just whatever is the hot seller right now. I've heard that advice from published authors again and again (well, that and "don't give up"). I think it's a very important thing to love what you write. Because if you love it, then chances are a lot of other people are going to love it, too.
So I'm going to stick to my guns and continue to kick out the kinds of novels that I'd love to read. It may be a longer, steeper, tougher road to travel, but when I reach my destination, I know I will have enjoyed every minute of the journey.
______________________
Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
- Cyril Connolly
______________________
A couple of my close writing buddies have done very well for themselves writing Erotica. There's a huge market for it, and they've sold many short stories and novels. I really gave this a lot of thought as a way to break into the industry. I even tried my hand at writing an erotica short. My conclusion? Writing for a sale isn't really why I write. I write to share a story--usually a long, complex story with characters who have lost much and are about to lose more. Erotica just doesn't seem to fulfill my muse's quest.
I believe writers must write what inspires them--not just whatever is the hot seller right now. I've heard that advice from published authors again and again (well, that and "don't give up"). I think it's a very important thing to love what you write. Because if you love it, then chances are a lot of other people are going to love it, too.
So I'm going to stick to my guns and continue to kick out the kinds of novels that I'd love to read. It may be a longer, steeper, tougher road to travel, but when I reach my destination, I know I will have enjoyed every minute of the journey.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Pact With My Readers
That's a pretty brave title for an (as yet) unpublished author, but it occur ed to me as I was reading yet another book stamped from the "they're all starting to sound the same" mold, that I would never want to do that to my readers. In fact, there are several things I'd never want to do, so here's my pact with my (okay, okay...future) readers.
#1 Each of my novels will be a very different story. It may be the same genre, the same general setting (space, other planets, the future) but the characters won't go through the same motions and do the same things in the same ships with different names.
#2 If my hero is a bad boy space pirate, then he's going to BE a bad boy space pirate and not a boy next door with tattoos and an eye patch. If he's/she's done terrible things in the past, he's going to have paid a price in guilt and remorse and public outrage and scars and stitches, and he's going to have to really work to overcome that.
#3 I don't believe in space pirates. Run-amok salvagers maybe. I have this issue with taking old ideas and putting them in a futuristic novel. So...no pirates, cowboys, knights, etc. Also no sorcerers or dwarfs or elves. (See #6.) That doesn't mean I may not put a new spin on these icons, but that's the operative word. New.
#4 My hero and/or my heroine will be real people who fear, get angry and show frustration. They won't be perfect. They won't be anything close to perfect. In fact, they'll be flawed and driven and angsty and somehow noble because they do fear and get angry and show frustration. And because they care about being alive.
#5 My villains won't act like stereotypes. Every villain is a person with something human about them, with dreams, goals, ambitions. It's how they achieve their ends that makes them the villain. So none of those Snidely Whiplash handlebar-moustache types with a sinister laugh and a black hat that says "VILLAIN" with a big, flashing neon signs and pointing arrows. Aren't the bad guys much more interesting when they carry the subtle evil of someone who thinks they're doing the right thing?
#6 I do slipstream, but I don't do cross-genre. You want werewolves and vampires? Go read a fantasy. It's a big universe out there and I'm sure I can come up with something lightyears more original than another tired old vampire or werewolf. That's not to say other writers can't write fascinating stories that contain them, it's just not what I want in my science fiction romance universe(s). Ghosts, well that's a different story.
#7 I'll listen to what my readers say. If they are saying "I'd really love to read a sequel to that." I won't say, "Sorry, I don't have a contract for a second book." I'll say, "Let me write something for you that you're going to love as much as the first."
#8 I will never write X number of books a year. My books percolate over time and I write them in layers. I can't kick one out by a specified deadline. I can't even tell you when I expect it will be done. Creativity doesn't work that way. At least, mine doesn't. I'll write them until they're finished, and hopefully, you'll never get a rushed, half-baked disappointment because of it. Deadlines kill (muses). As I develop my craft, I hope writing faster and smarter becomes one of my talents so I can keep the deal I made in #7.
#9...I haven't come up with a #9 yet. This pact, like my current novel, is still a work in progress.
Stay tuned.
#1 Each of my novels will be a very different story. It may be the same genre, the same general setting (space, other planets, the future) but the characters won't go through the same motions and do the same things in the same ships with different names.
#2 If my hero is a bad boy space pirate, then he's going to BE a bad boy space pirate and not a boy next door with tattoos and an eye patch. If he's/she's done terrible things in the past, he's going to have paid a price in guilt and remorse and public outrage and scars and stitches, and he's going to have to really work to overcome that.
#3 I don't believe in space pirates. Run-amok salvagers maybe. I have this issue with taking old ideas and putting them in a futuristic novel. So...no pirates, cowboys, knights, etc. Also no sorcerers or dwarfs or elves. (See #6.) That doesn't mean I may not put a new spin on these icons, but that's the operative word. New.
#4 My hero and/or my heroine will be real people who fear, get angry and show frustration. They won't be perfect. They won't be anything close to perfect. In fact, they'll be flawed and driven and angsty and somehow noble because they do fear and get angry and show frustration. And because they care about being alive.
#5 My villains won't act like stereotypes. Every villain is a person with something human about them, with dreams, goals, ambitions. It's how they achieve their ends that makes them the villain. So none of those Snidely Whiplash handlebar-moustache types with a sinister laugh and a black hat that says "VILLAIN" with a big, flashing neon signs and pointing arrows. Aren't the bad guys much more interesting when they carry the subtle evil of someone who thinks they're doing the right thing?
#6 I do slipstream, but I don't do cross-genre. You want werewolves and vampires? Go read a fantasy. It's a big universe out there and I'm sure I can come up with something lightyears more original than another tired old vampire or werewolf. That's not to say other writers can't write fascinating stories that contain them, it's just not what I want in my science fiction romance universe(s). Ghosts, well that's a different story.
#7 I'll listen to what my readers say. If they are saying "I'd really love to read a sequel to that." I won't say, "Sorry, I don't have a contract for a second book." I'll say, "Let me write something for you that you're going to love as much as the first."
#8 I will never write X number of books a year. My books percolate over time and I write them in layers. I can't kick one out by a specified deadline. I can't even tell you when I expect it will be done. Creativity doesn't work that way. At least, mine doesn't. I'll write them until they're finished, and hopefully, you'll never get a rushed, half-baked disappointment because of it. Deadlines kill (muses). As I develop my craft, I hope writing faster and smarter becomes one of my talents so I can keep the deal I made in #7.
#9...I haven't come up with a #9 yet. This pact, like my current novel, is still a work in progress.
Stay tuned.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
CATEGORY FIVE: Book Review
CATEGORY FIVEBy Philip Donlay
iBooks (paperback)
OPENING NOTES FROM THE REVIEWER: I normally stick with the romance genre in general, and science fiction romance in particular, but I stumbled on this novel while doing some book scouting recon on Amazon and the premise intrigued me. I bought it during my next book haul, stacked it onto my Leaning Tower of TBR© and returned to it when I recently whittled down my Must Read List and it was time to hunt up another brick in the tower. What a great story CATEGORY FIVE turned out to be. It was well-written, suspenseful (*understatement*) and had characters I could root for and hope for. The author did a tremendous job of putting his characters in the exact situations they feared, and then making things even worse. Oh, and it even had a compelling romance (though most of the really romantic action took place off stage).
COVER ART: Excellent! The cover art shows a cockpit overlooking storm clouds through a cracking windshield, and at a glance sums up the major premise of the story. It’s about a collision course between pilots who fly environmental missions, scientists who study meteorological events and a monster hurricane...possibly the strongest ever recorded.
INITIAL IMPRESSION: The story begins in the middle of a developing hurricane in Bermuda and has some major hook factor going on.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Donovan Nash, a crack pilot, and Dr. Lauren McKenna, a scientist. They share a history…and something more. Donovan is Director of Aircraft Operations for Eco-Watch, a research company with a primary mission to study hurricanes, typhoons and meteorological events. At least, that's his cover and the role he chooses to play. Lauren studies hurricanes, and has been granted access to sensitive defense satellites in order to carry out her work.
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS: One supporting character that really stood out was Michael Ross, Donovan’s senior pilot and friend. Michael is witty, entertaining, always has exactly the right thing to say in any situation, and he’s one helluva pilot to boot. The tanned, blue-eyed Michael nearly stole the show from the main characters. I hope he’s back to play a major part in future novels. Another pivotal character is billionaire and father-figure to Donovan, William. William’s influence seemed almost Deux ex friend at times, but I’m sure people do exist that can wield this kind of power, and since main character Donovan Nash is really someone else, I can suspend my disbelief enough to accept the hanging-by-a-hair sequence of events that leads to the climax. There are other various characters including pilots, military and government officials, scientists, reporters, foreigners, family members and friends that all lend their part to this well-wrought tale. Oh, and I can't overlook Eco-Watch's two highly modified Gulfstream jets, Spirit of da Vinci and Galileo, that were characters in themselves.
VILLAIN: A villain surfaces in the story and the shadowy network behind him is hinted at. I didn’t figure him out beforehand, but I think someone more adept at unraveling mysteries would probably have spotted him in a moment. He wasn’t terribly sophisticated as a bad guy, but with the main characters pitted against a monster category five plus hurricane—and worse—who needs crafty villains.
WORLD BUILDING: I was so impressed with the author’s knowledge of his subject— namely pilot culture and military/government hierarchy, bureaucracy and lingo—I had to Google his name after reading the book to find out more about him. He’s a pilot with over thirty years’ experience, so it's no wonder he can very effectively talk the talk.
CONFLICT: The conflict between the two MCs is well-drawn and believable except for one hasty conclusion by Lauren that could have easily been cleared up with a question or two. There’s a big revelation in the story (which the reader is already privy to) that I felt was handled extremely well and with wonderful timing by an intervening Michael. (Did I mention how much I love his character?)
PLOT: This book does what a great story should. It starts in the middle of a tense, dangerous scene, and once the characters are introduced, fleshed out, and manage to escape catastrophe one, things slow down a bit to establish an intriguing back story and a potential plot against Donovan. From there the suspense and tension rises in peaks and valleys to a white-knuckle ride that, just when you think things can’t get any worse, they take a nose dive into hell. As Donovan says, “Dying is the easy part. It’s surviving that’s the real trick.” The author’s knowledge of his subject and storytelling ability in this genre is first rate. There’s a big surprise at the end that’s set up quite well in back story.
ROMANCE: This isn’t a romance, but there is a major romantic element between Donovan and Lauren. It just seems impossible that they’ll both survive the series of disasters in their path to mend the damage that’s been done.
READABILITY: Very readable, highly satisfying, and a definite keeper.
EVIL AUTHORS GUILD STAMP OF APPROVAL: The Evil Authors Guild exists to encourage writers to inflict appropriate amounts of terror, angst and torture into their characters’ lives, and to leave them twisting in the wind at every opportunity. With the series of catastrophes that beset the characters, I must say Philip Donlay has served way above and beyond the call of duty.
SECOND READ: Yes. I’ve already started the second read, and it’s even more fun this time around because of all the nuances and clues I missed in the first run through.
OVERALL RATING: Three short words. What. A. Ride! Mr. Donlay has an encore novel out entitled CODE BLACK, with a return by Donovan Nash’s character (and hopefully Michael’s too) which reviewers claim is an even better book than the first. I’ve already ordered it, and look forward with extreme anticipation to reading it.
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