Soothing The Savage Beast

 I have to take just a moment to reflect on how music helps me write.

  I tend to think of this as another artist / creator once again extending their hand to make me better at the craft.

  My characters all have their own favorite songs and sometimes....they tell me what they want to hear when we get ready to write a certain scene. Even the Monsters speak up and hand me a request list.

   It amazes me how some art work, music or even watching an actor project emotions non verbally can inspire me to write better, create better.....hell just do better at the craft.

  Have you even seen an artist that can make you literally FEEL the texture of the color blue? Or taste the color green?

 I have, his name is Ben Templesmith, look him up.....truly an amazing individual.


 I tend to focus more on the music, perhaps that's my selfish nature BUT some songs help that movie that's constantly running in my head snap into sharper focus.

Cutter wouldn't have been half so angry and terrifying without Hendrix and Hunt The Winterlands not half so engrossing without Florence and the Machine....My tastes are varied and I steal from all genres of our modern bards.

 Writing this novel with my schizophrenic / bi - polar Pandora station in the background has led to some amazing chapters today.

I couldn't have done near so well without this particular aspect of The Muse.

What Was That Noise?

That noise is the sound of my brain hitting over-drive.

Research is going well, I've gotten back into writing blogs and the day job has decided to stop interfering for a few.

Today I immersed myself in the world of Doctor Who and pulled off another character analysis. I do love my Doctor. check out the post at http://www.doctorher.com/. Please leave a comment or two.

The info gathering for the novel is clicking along at warp speed. Soon it will be time to let the Muse take possession of the flesh suit and put all these ramblings on paper.

I did take some time to look over a few Indie Projects on Indiegogo. Everyone should stop in and take a look. Some brilliant work out there that needs support.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT CREATORS!!!!

Back to the lawman stuff, if we should meet as I'm out and about and I ask you, what do you think is the best way to cage a wraith demon......just roll with it.

Doctor Her & Contributing

The best creators take time out to mentor up and comers like me. Those who've established themselves firmly in the creator community  take time to instruct and walk us newbies through the confusion of creating as a business.

When I started writing as more than just an activity to get the snarl of chaos out of my brain, I had no idea the ins and outs of what it really took to get your work out to be read.

I owe a huge debt to numerous creators in all fields for helping and teaching me how to do it right.

I myself, though not even close to being as well known as those that helped me, have started contributing myself. I was invited to write for a blog that discusses the impact of Doctor Who on culture from a woman's perspective. Although the blog (http://doctorher.com) revolves around The Doctor, we branch out all over the place and discuss numerous topics that impact lives and world views.

The contributors are diverse and the post and topics are thought provoking.

 I invite you to support your Indie Creators and take a look at the blog. Feel free to leave comments or ask the site web mistress (Courtney Stoker) if you'd like to be a guest contributor.

IT"S ALIVE!!!!!

Getting into my my research....

 I love creating new things. That's the fun of being a fiction writer and it's even better if you write horror. My mad scientist labratory is filled with evil little darlings stirring to life.

The novel is twisting into half parts monster concentration camp + wars in hell + genetic experimentation, to half parts humanity proving it's still worth a shit to the cosmos + the acceptance of all that is different + not being on the top of the food chain.

A mish mash of  mixed ideals and lots of blood. I'm excited to see this start to develop and take on a life and soul of its own.

I don't know who I'm in love with more, my protagonist, her partner or the antagonist.

The research and creation of my alternate universe continues. A couple of pages quickly written up,  just to put down certain aspects these characters keep yelling about inside my head.


Granite Con fastly approaches, this sees me off to Boston / New Hampshire with my Team that worked on Cutter. It will be fantastic to get out and rub elbows again with other comic creators. My last foray at Wizard Con in New Orleans was an awesome learning experience. I love being emersed in the creator community.

 The next few months ore on track to be a superb adventure.

Shuffling That Monster Walk

It's zombie week on Chiller....

This proves quite the distraction when attempting to work on your new novel. More planning and plotting completed. The main protagonist is pretty acerbic and angry, this should prove to be an interesting ride.

The supporting cast is immensely diverse, so many personalities bouncing around in the old noggin this evening. Of course there are a multitude of monsters throughout.

 A few pages written and I see the story and characters grow stronger in their voice. Right now is the fun part. In a few weeks when the plot starts twisting and the story starts mutating, it should get even more interesting. It's not really work yet, I'm to full of plans and I keep telling myself I know exactly where everything is going. 

Anyone who writes knows this is a line of bull shite we feed ourselves.

Wrote a piece for the Doctor Her Blog, but I appear to have forgotten my password to get in. I'm waiting on a response from the wonderful blog mistress, Courtney Stoker so I may share my outlook on  Captain Jack Harkness. I'm hoping this stirs up some debate and discussion since I've taken the piece at a completely different  angle to the norm.

Lawman work resumes tomorrow and I'm sure it shall be as wonderful (insert sarcasm) as always. I shall persist in putting words down on paper every day even if it kills me OR someone else tries to kill me.

Beginning...

   First day of work on the new project.

  Character profiles are complete, and I have begun construction on an outline. Just as a guide through the murk, nothing in writing is set in stone.

 The idea is there, the story is beautiful and I'm already attached to the characters.


 Tonight I'm just going to rest and re-energize. I shall start putting the words to paper tomorrow.

Monsters on Parade

This month marks the culmination of hard work, involving many parties, of quite a few projects. I am finally starting to see and hold the evidence of my evolution AND success as a writer. I've never been known for my patience and to say the wait has unbearable would be an understatement.

Three projects finished, two in publication and the third ready to ship to the publisher. I'm immensely pleased with the finished products and hope my readers will enjoy them.

The foray into comic book creation has also reached its boiling point. The first script is finished, the cover and pin up are now in the hands of the Illustrator and the next step will be publication. This I believe is the work I'm most proud of. The learning process and the wonderful community of comic book creators has infused my writing and attitude with energy and love for the craft, all over again.

I do have two short pieces to be published in two separate dark fiction / horror magazines.
Look for them in the future from Asylum Ink and Dark River Press.

It's now time to start some new projects, create horror and unleash more monsters.

My first order of business will be to finish up a novel that's been in the works for a while. Other projects and creations having taken precedence over its culmination.

She's been very patient, waiting for me to commit. With my focus harnessed and my spirit re energized the words shall flow and the monsters shall ravage.

Tempting The Ripper

   Last night I was able to look over and revel in the fruits of my labor. I was able to peruse the completed and ready to print version of an anthology featuring one of my pieces.

Let me introduce you to, Autumn Painted Red, to be published and released by Asylum Ink the end of this month.

  This book has been a righteous bastard to get to print. Its moved publishers and been held hostage for months. Finally free and nearing its debut I have to say the bastard has a special place in my heart.

 This is the first non-fiction project I have ever worked on. I found myself loving the process of research  and spinning my special brand of dark prose history. The book is a new look at the influence of Jack the Ripper on our collective psyche. I don't mean a break down of the case and the ever present "who done it." This is a glimpse through the eyes of writers, poets and artists on how this so human of monsters, still holds  a grip on our throats all these years later. 

  My piece in the book is, Tempting the Ripper, and it was a joy to mix my darkness and love of monsters into the reality of factual atrocity.

 The wonderful thing  is the fact that this mystery, this horror has no definable answer . No matter how many times this body is  dissected, studied and debated, we shall have no truth from it. There is no conclusion, no end, no reason as to why and NO CLOSURE. As a species we are so very attached to closure. This stands as the true horror of Saucy Jack. He's still out there, he will always be out there, laughing at us as we try to fit the puzzle pieces together.

I will of course announce the release date once I am given the go ahead.
  

Unleashing Cutter

Here I am in the final throws of bringing Cutter to life. The step of creating a cover for his introduction to the world has me stuck in pause. I see him, I've listened to John Cutter's story and find my world tied to his. As the writer on this adventure it is absolutely my responsibility to present him, showing all his vulnerabilities as well as his complete bad- assedness. To describe this for an artist / illustrator is proving difficult. I'm not happy with anything I write.

I've got the scene, I know what's in the background, I know it like the back of my hand. I know where Cutter is standing and I know what he's doing. I believe this is the point where you have to trust your artist. With all the trepidation of a new mother I just need  to hand over my special child and let the team have their way with it.

In the Time of Love & Monsters

I started working on a horror fiction piece about a week ago. It's a short story for a  fabulous magazine known for its support of the Indie community. The entire thing takes a look at the insane and boundless love brought on by motherhood, with a monster and the end of the world brought on by said monster .

In the beginning the words just tumbled out. the characters spoke their parts and I just stood by and put them on paper.

THEN.....

The characters and the story started evolving, changing and stampeding off in an entirely new direction. All the preparation and research geared toward the left became irrelevant as the story took a clear right turn and headed straight for morning....

Now I'm facing a deadline BUT I'm going to have to start back at square one. Meeehhh, so what, the new story and the new outlook is better than what my initial plans and preparation created. The Muse will have her say and I shall happily continue as just the voice box.

The crux is this, projecting the very real and tangible love of a mother for her child within the gruesome and horrific torso of horror. No cliches no stereotypes, something new, something chilling.....

All I have to have is the courage and fortitude to follow this path to the end and NOT LOOK AWAY.
Once I accept this and the fact that I really have no control over how  this piece progresses (If I want it to be more than shite on paper) the words will begin to flow and the story will be told.