Saturday, March 31, 2007

I think I've Blown My Timeline


Well, it's the Eve of April (not to be confused with the Ides of March) and all the projects I'd hoped to have done by now are still, for the most part, languishing on my desk. As I open the files to work on those projects left behind by when other ones have turned my head and peaked my interest, I realize why I let them go: I was really and truly stuck.


The computer screen is in constant mock-mode. I swear I hear it laughing behind my back. I sit down to work, open a file and nothing comes to me. Could I be burned out? I have been pushing myself awfully hard the past few months...hell, the past year or two. Granted, I have been writing fresh stories to submit to those special project anthologies at Samhain, so things did get pushed back, but so far I've only crossed off one item off my WIP's list. ONE!!! Since January 1st. - (Refer back to sentence before that...I have worked on more than one thing since Jan. but I had hoped to be farther along on the others.)


Currently, I'm working on that erotic romance for Trisk's Fever line. The title used to be A Cold Day in Hell, but I changed it to Hot Days in Heaven. The premise has a fallen angel squaring off against a minor demon. So, far haven't gotten to much of the demon part. Have to figure out how to work that in without revealing which side of the fence the hero comes down on. Is he the fallen angel or the demon? The heroine is caught somewhere between them, though she doesn't realize that yet. You see, like the story of Job where God and the Devil make a wager on Job's soul, this minor demon and fallen angel make a wager on the heroine's heart. But I've switched rolls between who is demon and who is fallen. I thought it might make it a little more interesting...and therein lies the problem. This is definately going to be a story that I have to do a very loose rough draft in order to go back and fill in the plot holes. Or as I call them sign posts.


I'm still trying to work on the sequel to Immorati. Though I have a good working outline for Corpesetti, it isn't flowing as well as Immorati did. I think the problem may be that I've got the heroine injured during her first appearance in the book. Now, she has to get back up to speed in order to be productive. Which is the chapter I'm on now. I know what is supposed to happen next, but I want her to be more proactive. Not a standby character who things happen to, but she doesn't make things happen for her. An important distinction while writing a heroine. No wishy-washy females in my stories. I've always been a pretty straightforward person, so I like my heroines to have that quality as well. Fine if they begin a tale a little unsure or afraid and then bust out of their shells. That's just part of the character growth and progression, something a story arc needs anyways.


Then there are two contemporaries I really want to write: Love Thy Neighbor and Lessons From The Love Machine. LTN is more of a suspense with some quirky humor along the way. Very much a stalker story. LFTLM is another one with a blend of humor and suspense. Haven't really figured out exactly why the heroine is in danger in that one, only that she is. - However, I promised myself I would finish at least five other novels before I write LFTLM. I've already started LTN and have the outline complete, so if I slip it in there before some of the others, no big deal.


And here I sit, writing on my blog when I could have a file open, working on something that will pay me, or sleeping since I have to work tonight.


Ahhhh, the writing life. Never a dull moment. And so like Lady Godiva pictured above, I trudged nakedly through the mire of prose hoping I'll write something in the next few days that will actually be worthy enough to have someone look at it.

-Kat

Sunday, March 25, 2007

It Don't Mean a Thing If it Ain't Got that Swing...

Well, I don't know if this means anything or not, but it is a pretty cool story, so I'm going to share it anyways.

Gail N. the executive editor at Triskelion saw in an email that I write for erotic romances for Red Sage and asked me if I'd like to write something for Trisk's Fever line. They are short erotic stories that are published monthly. I said, yeah sure. At 10K I can bang one out in no time...(no pun intended). Anyhoo, I went to Trisk's website yesterday to look at the submission section so I know exactly what the expectation of stories are and while there I skipped on over to the booksstore page. There is a spot that says, "Most recently purchased item." And there in a big bold picture is the cover for Immorati. Whoooo Hooooooo.... I had logged on right after someone bought my book. I was very excited. I was even more excited when I looked up at the "Top Ten Sales" and Immorati came in at a solid 5. Even more dancing and squealing insued. I know it may not mean much to the outside world. Heck it may not mean much to my publisher, but it still means something to me. The top five for a new release and a debut it probably pretty darn good.

Let's hear it for being number 5!!!

-Kat

Monday, March 19, 2007

Beware of Dragons


Or in this case, hold them to your bosom and give 'em dragon noogies.


I was notified last night that my novella, Dragon Tamer, was selected for Samhain's I Dream of Dragons anthology. You can't imagine how excited I am by this. When I went to Samhain's website to check out if they had any special projects I could write for and saw this one, I thought...I've never done a dragon story, but I love reading them, so why not. In honor of this, this picture at the right is titled, Dragon Dreams. I searched for the name of the artist to give him/her props, but came up empty. So, I apologize if I'm posting it without proper plug.


Now, you have to understand, since I never do anything in my writing that even closely resemebles towing the line, I had to put my dragons is an ultra-modern (damn right futuristic world), just because when most people think of dragons it's more of a fantasy or urban fantasy/shape shifter motif. Not me. I go the other spectrum and find a marriage that can work with the elements of dragon lore and their particular fantasy aspects with a sci-fi edge. Take that and add elements of CSI and you have Dragon Tamer. My most awesome critique partner Jen said it's Pern meets CSI and I thought that was absolutely a perfect picture of my world.


Here's a blurb: (keep in mind it's a blurb in progress)


On the tropical island paradise of Cambry, the dragons are dying. A flesh and scale eating blight has ravaged the females and threatened the dragon population. Calusia settlement hatching ground director, Darion Archer, calls on the International Field Marshalls to investigate the outbreak. The dragons are his life, and he’ll do anything to protect them and see an end to the blight. He isn’t prepared, however, for the beautiful agent who comes to investigate, or his reaction to her.

IFM agent, Serrah Gayle has no idea what her assignment entails. The only thing she knows is that she’s been sent to Cambry, a land that holds the majority of the dragon population. When she meets the sexy settlement director and learns her case will bring her close to the legendary creatures, Agent Gayle must overcome a lifelong fear of the dragons to help solve the mystery of the blight, as she falls into a deep emotional bond with the director.


Now, I have to go and start work on another project. Remember, the more mud you throw at a wall the more will stick. Or.... the more you write and submit, the more you can sell.


-Kat

Friday, March 16, 2007

SOLD ANOTHER ONE!!!

About 7 years ago, I had the idea for a graphic novel about a vampire-esque hitman who executes his contracts by drinking their blood. The vampire wouldn't be your garden variety type, as he has a symbiot attached to his soul that came across a deminsional gateway when an alchemical experiment went afoul. As a result, my "host" as I call him can eat, drink and enjoy sunlight. The Host: Shadows is a darker book than what I usually write, and I have to say I enjoyed getting into not only Tristain St. Blaise's psyche, but also that of the heroine, Angelia Lightheart and villain, Benito Achilles.

My totally awesome and always encouraging editor at Samhain Publishing, Immi, was very supportive and complimentary when she read this project. It looks like a tentative publication date of January 08 for ebook, and hopefully the print run will come out by the time RT conference in Pittsburgh next year. I would really love to have that one in hand by the booksigning.

This has been a long labour of love for me. When I first conceived the idea, I wanted to present it in graphic novel form, but could never find an artist that drew in the style I wanted it to be that would actually be available for the project, or wouldn't charge me for the work. I wanted a partnership and ended up with a novel that is all mine. Not bad at all. I much prefer this, especially when Immi already asked if there is a sequel in the works.

In other good news, an editor from Red Sage, my erotic romance publisher, asked to see the full on my sequel to Fatal Error, titled Mind Games. This takes place 30 years after FE and tells the tale of Jesse and Soran's son, Damien and his psychic link with a woman named, Jade. Hopefully, MG will live up to the expectations of FE. I have to admit that when I'm writing novellas, I have a tendency to "pants" the story. I know the basic layout, but I don't make an outline like I do for novels, so they may take a little longer to craft since I go back and do a lot more rereading as I proceed. So, cross your fingers on this one and I'll keep you posted.

-Kat

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Awww Behold the Power of Cheese

Have you ever noticed how some of your most favorite movies have a cheese factor of 10? For me the undisputed King of Cheese movies is the 1980 release of Flash Gordon starring some hot dude named, Sam Jones. Not only does the soundtrack rock...(what do you expect, it featured Freddy Mercury and Queen!), but the acting is so melodramatic it's a cheesing good time for all. I put this movie on for background sometimes as I'm working.

Next on our tour of the Cheese Museum is Clash of the Titans, starring Dancing with the Stars alumnus Harry Hamlin (pre-dancing shoes, of course.) Wonderful! The Ray Harryhausen stop animation minitures are to die for. And who doesn't love the fight with Medusa or the scary Gorgon that wanted the princess? If you don't love 'em, you don't love camp.

Xanadu. People will actually laugh out loud at me when I tell them I love this movie. Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck (remember him from Warriors?) on roller skates. Come on. You can smell the Gouda a mile away with this one. It's cheesielicious.

The thing with a cheesy movie is, it has to be one that wanted to be taken seriously but the drama-to-camp ratio was inverted and turned it from serious to cheese faster than you can say Roquefort.

(Notice most of these movies have sci-fi or paranormal/mythological themes)

Then there are the not-so-cheesy but really quite good movies.

Practical Magic. I love this movie. Give me Aidan Quinn in a romantic lead and I'll follow you anywhere. Ah, hell. Just give me Aidan Quinn period.

Princess Bride. "And wuv...twoo wuv.." Enough said.

Willow. Val Kilmer as Madmortegan. You really gotta love this movie. Little Willow as the desperate magician-in-training, trying to save the world. How fun is that?

These movies aren't cheesy at all. Kinda dark actually, but I love them. I watch them as often as possible.

Pitch Black. Vin Diesel's character is so awesome. You never know from one minute if you can trust him or not. And as bad as his character is, there are others who are worse. It's a case of having to trust someone you shouldn't, and not trusting those you should. Brilliant for character study.

Chronicales of Riddick. All right, so I'm a closet Diesel fan. Sue me. I could point out that this movie also features Dame Judith Dench, so yes, I guess it is culturally rewarding as well. All right...all right...I'll admit I love the Riddick character, but it also had Karl Urban in it, which really set me up nicely.

Underworld. This movie rocked. Wasn't so fond of the sequel, but this first movie in the saga is amazing. It really set up so many possibilities for future movies.

Vampire Hunter D. Yes, it's manga, but it's rockin' great manga. The cells are beautifully rendered, the story awesome. I encourage anyone who likes vampire stories, or enjoys manga to get into this series.

So, that's the round up. Maybe you've seen some of your favorites here and will go watch and enjoy them again. Maybe you'll find something new and try it.

What are some of your favorites cheesy and non-cheese favorite movies?