Tag: writing

Midnight Guardian series, Werewolf Biology, YA Indie Carnival

YA Indie Carnival…Location! Location! Location!

From the trapeze artist’s tent, I can hear the barker calling already, “Location! Location! Location!”. This week at the YA Indie Carnival the topic is Settings.

I am constantly enamored by the rural vistas of the Ohio River Valley (above). This photo actually comes from my farm which was the inspiration for the Hayes Family Farm in the Midnight Guardian series. One of the things I love most about those novels is that they give me the chance to write about a place that is very familiar, the Hayes Farm, and a place that is completely make believe, the Mogdoc Empire, a land of endless midnight sealed from the human world.

I’m currently working on a werewolf trilogy set Continue reading “YA Indie Carnival…Location! Location! Location!” →

YA Indie Carnival

YA Indie Carnival: Do You Spring Forward or Fall Back?

late summer writingDo you fall for Fall? Are you a Winter wannabe? This week at the YA Indie Carnival, we’re talkin’ about our fave seasons to write.

Before I get started, just a brief report. I’d like to thank my fellow indie writers who allowed me a brief delay on this week’s post due to the Midnight Child Launch Party held last night. This was my first official, public book launch party and it was Continue reading “YA Indie Carnival: Do You Spring Forward or Fall Back?” →

Midnight Child, Midnight Guardian series, YA Indie Carnival

YA Indie Carnival: Fiction Pie

pie photoThis week at the YA Indie Carnival, the authors are serving up Fiction Pie and giving up their own special recipes for plotting great stories.

With Book #3 of the Midnight Guardian series currently in development, I’m often asked if this will be it…the final one. It’s been a fun series to write and I’m pleased to say that #3 will definitely not be the last one.

I had originally planned it to be a 6 book series. Well, that’s not exactly true. When I released Of Sun & Moon and people asked me how many there would be I would say 4 or 5. I didn’t fine tune the 6 until I began writing Whispering Evil. And although I have planned 6 books (taking the story to Drew’s second vox), Ann and Katie’s timelines have been plotted to the third vox (9 books) just in case I can’t let go.

My time traveling characters have certainly made plotting more complicated. Since Ann and Katie travel back in time, their reality isn’t linear like the other characters. I also quickly realized that not only did I need to keep track of them in time, but I also needed to keep track of them separately. They even have their own Excel spreadsheets with their trips, ages, physical description and emotional concerns at the time of their trip all matched up against points in the linear plot of the whole series. Whew!

Anywho, time travelers aside, here’s my basic no-bake recipe for a great plot:

  • 1 strong female mixed with a dash of special ability
  • 1-2 villains you love to hate
  • 1 bunch of friends, super and non
  • 2-4 interesting locales
  • pinch of mystery
  • stir in unexpected twists
  • season with drama to taste
  • Simmer with a heaping tablespoon of bad boy hottie until boiling and serve

Collect more fiction pie recipes from these other YA Indie Carnival Authors. BTW – My favorite non-fiction pie is banana creme.

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series 2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self 4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga 6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke 8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy 10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed 12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga 14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell’s Refracted Light Reviews 16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping 18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind 20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler 22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter 24. TG Ayer
25. Melissa Pearl, author of Golden Blood 26. YA Fantasy