Category: The Blog

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Mistakes that Shatter the Illusion

The trick to fantastic storytelling is to let the characters make mistakes that are meaningful and significant to the arc, not merely stupidity elements to advance the plot.  The latter shatters the illusion.

It’s like when Zorro fell off Toronado in the first Antonio Banderas version.  Or when the Batcave was so easily destroyed by Jim Carrey’s Enigma.  Or was it Penguin?  I can’t remember (I blocked it from my memory.)  Or Lord help me, when Scarlett turned her back on Tara IMMEDIATELY in that horrible sequel to Gone With the Wind.  It’s those moments that make you scratch your head and roll your eyes.  No one with true understanding of the character would ever allow that to happen.  Right?  Surely Batman would have had SOME security on the Batcave!  RIGHT?

What does this have to do with the Night Angels trilogy I devoured this week?

I finished up book 3 tonight and in my most humble opinion, it was the weakest of the trilogy.  Instead of finishing at a crashing crescendo, it shattered the illusion.  Kylar did something really dumb and it bugged the hell out of me.  His great weapon/gift, the black ka’kari that made him the immortal Night Angel, failed him.  Or he failed it, I’m not sure.  Surely this incredibly powerful artifact that enabled the previous Night Angel to live nearly 700 years would have a few security alarms in it.  Surely the great wetboy I’ve come to admire after well over 1000 pages would notice if someone stole his SWORD?  (while he was wearing it, no less) And replaced it with a fake?  And by the way, his sword was another incredibly powerful artifact. 

It had to happen for the plot, but it shattered the awe-inspiring illusion the story had carried up to that point.  Until then, I would have said this trilogy ranked as one of my all-time favorite reads.  After that stupidity element, the magic was broken for me.  I finished the book and was pleased, but it wasn’t the same.  The veil had been pulled aside, ever so briefly, and I couldn’t forget.

I know.  I’m not a very forgiving reader.  I can’t help it.  Except for this one thing, it was a fantastic series.  Thereafter, a few other tricks/surprises were stretched too thinly.  Because my trust in the illusion had already been shaken?  Very likely.  The surprises just didn’t have that same oomph.  They weren’t as well supported and hinted at, more like TADAH! moments that I didn’t quite buy.

Still, a great trilogy.  I would definitely read more by this author.  But I ended the trilogy not as emotionally invested in the end as I hoped.  Guy Gavriel Kay’s Finovar Tapestry’s final book had me SOBBING.  I read that book at least a decade ago and still love it.  Just thinking about it can make me tear up, my heart aching with all the wonder and magic, agony and suffering, love and victory.  

Beyond the Shadows left me muttering if only…if only… if only.

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Shadow’s Edge by Brent Weeks

Beware, I have entered the Reading Twilight Zone.  I will not come out until I’m finished.  Hence, the perils of letting myself read when I’m supposed to be writing.

I finished book 2 of the Night Angels trilogy last night and it was as good as the first book.  Third book is well underway already this morning.

I’ve always loved assassins (e.g. Gregar), and Kylar doesn’t disappoint.  In this world, assassins are something to be sneered at, and he’s much, much more than even the standard “killer for hire,” aka wetboy.  He struggles, he dies, only to return to life, and only now has he learned the cost of those lives.  The characters aren’t strictly white or black, but a blend of mistakes, honor, morals, beliefs, and confusion.  People die (although this isn’t as bad as a George R.R. Martin wedding, snicker), and there’s a cost for everything.

I think the third book is suffering just a bit because of the demise of the Godking at the end of book 2.  There’s more inter-character conflict than any single antagonist to fight, and characters are trying to work out some of their mistakes.  It’s still good, just not as bam slam thank you ma’am action and surprises as the first two books.  The surprises were excellent.  I mean, when a character isn’t afraid to die, the surprises have to be intense.  Now, Kylar knows the cost he has to pay if he dies and comes back, and now, he’s going to have to face that fear.

I should finish book 3 today and I’ll post my final thoughts.

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The Best Read of 2009

As for reading pleasure, 2009 is starting off with a bang.  I just finished The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks.  Note the time of this post.  No, I don’t have the day off tomorrow.  So I’ll be dragging myself up in a matter of hours for the Evil Day Job, but it was totally worth it.

The dang book was so good I had to read the bit of book 2 at the end even though it’s so late.

I’m too tired to wax poetic about the book’s qualities.  The book is dark.  It opens with children suffering, abusing each other in dismal poverty.  But Azoth took my heart and wouldn’t let me stop reading, and Logan, Jarl, Elene, Uly, Mamma K, and yes, even Master Durzo Blint, took another piece of me.  Azoth’s training as a wetboy was engrossing.  No blow was spared.  Even the terrifying Godking is an incredibly interesting character.

So if this is a sign of all the great stories I’ll be reading in 2009, my giddy reader’s heart shouts bring it on!  Book 2 in this series is next, and I have Stay the Night by Lynn Viehl winging its way to me, too.

Meanwhile, my writer’s heart is feeling rather guilty because all I finished today was a single chapter in the Mayan story.  But I did touch it, and I made some hard cuts.  I need to focus the story better and concentrate on the original concept that’s more unique than what seems to have become rather run of the mill. 

Now it’s an Advil for my eyestrain headache, and off to bed, with visions of lots of hot coffee in the morning while I plug away on my big project at work and steal lustful looks of longing at my stack of books and my waiting story.

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Passionate Pen Anniversary

I’ve been a fan of Jenna Petersen and her Passionate Pen website for years.  Her Agent List is one of the first places I check before sending out a new query.  Celebrating ten years of providing all sorts of great articles and information to aspiring writers, Jenna is having an incredible year of contests.  This month, enter to win a three chapter critique by Jenna’s own agent, the fabulous Miriam Kriss!

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2008 Winds Down

The last Christmas presents have been opened.  We celebrated our last family dinner yesterday with Granny, my Beloved Sis, and my brother’s family.  The last Chiefs’ football game is on today.

2008 is almost over.

So this next week, I’ll be writing up formal goals for 2009.  I’ll look back to last year and see how I did on 2008’s goals.

Meanwhile, I’m reading.  Not from my reward stack, although this has been a very great reward.  I started with The Rose of Shanhasson, then The Road to Shanhasson, and finally, I’m reading the first draft of Return to Shanhasson that I just finished.  Oooooh, it’s so awesome to see the story all laid out and complete.  So much love.  So much blood.  So much Shadow.  The last book still needs work to bring it up where it needs to be, but the theme is definitely carried through to the end. 

Love, the greatest gift of all, and the greatest sacrifice.

2009 goals will be forthcoming.

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In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa

It’s back to the Evil Day Job for me today.  Christmas is over, and so is my vacation, and since the book is done, I settled down with my first pleasure read last night, In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa.

Now I’ve “known” Portia online for years, but I think this is the first full-length book I’ve read of hers.  A mistake I will correct immediately.  This book was sooooo good.  I read it in one sitting last night.  Now THIS is what an erotic romance should be like for me.  It was spicy, absolutely, but the characters were so real and deep.  I just loved Professor Hottie and his Queen of the Library.  The mystery about who Nemesis might be, the man who began leaving naughty letters for Gwendolyne in the suggestion box, was wonderful.  There were just enough clues to make me doubt myself and keep me eagerly reading.

Gwendolyne might be willing to experiment with dominance/submission play, but she’s no fainting weakling.  She pushes and challenges, never backing down, but she understands the game and what it means to him.  I don’t want to give away spoilers, but the last scene between them right before Daniel is forced to leave nearly moved me to tears.

…I recognize that, even though I’m on fire for him, this interlude is about Daniel, about him being in control, about him losing himself in the game and forgetting what lies ahead of him.  My intense frustration, the torment of temporary denial – these are sweet gifts I can give him to distract him.

I hope the rest of my reward stack of books proves to be so good!

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Merry Christmas!

A near Santa catastrophe was averted.  The stockings are hung.  Mom has keeled over on the couch with a glass of wine after a day of baking and Christmas Eve celebrations.  I made bon bons and truffles, along with Settlers’ Beans and Suzanne’s Ultimate Breakfast Casserole for tomorrow.  I really wanted to make peanut brittle, but there was nary a bag of raw peanuts to be found!

Whatever your family traditions, I hope you’re having a lovely holiday!  The monsters blow hugs and kisses to you all.  (Watch out for their chocolate faces.  They loooove bon bons.)

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NaNo Day 46

Oops, title fixed.  Don’t know where “16” came from.  That was like a hundred years ago!

The last big climax approaches.  *shudders*  It’s actually several bad events that happen BAM BAM BAM.  At least two big surprises (I hope, if I’ve done my homework).  I don’t feel like I’ve hit that downhill slide yet, although surely I’m close.

I finally dragged my fanny up Dark & Early this morning, although not so early (6:00 a.m. instead of 5:00 a.m.).  Sadly, that’s the earliest I’ve been able to get up for weeks.  This time of year just kills me.  Plus my cold worsens.  I actually lost my voice tonight and sound like I ate sandpaper for dinner.

I had to be a hardass with myself today.  Why?  Because I WANT THE BRIGHT SHINY.  So I told myself I had to write x words first on Return, and then I could work y minutes on the other.  It let me get a modest word count this morning, spend a little time over lunch on the new idea, and then tonight while cooking dinner, I continued working on Return.  The back and forth approach let me get quite a bit done on both.  The trick is managing my obsessive tendencies.

Today: 2,172

NaNo Total: 93,665

Snippet:  The beginning of big surprise #1 of this climax.  Mykal just realized he’s in even deeper shit than he thought.

“Dragons will occasionally bring kills to the female they’re attempting to woo,” Mykal said, his voice flat.  “One of the tals attempts to win the White Dragon’s favor.  This man refused your will, and now he’s dead.  He’s a gift.”

His bond felt tight and withdrawn, singing with alarm that only grew with intensity.  Lightly, she stroked his cheek and he flinched, his gaze jerking toward hers.  “What is it?  I know you had no part in this.”

“It’s a very deliberate message.”  He licked his lips, fighting to keep his gaze on hers.  “Someone knows who I used to be.”

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Drollerie Press Chat

To celebrate all the recent releases as well as the holidays, we’ll be having a chat at Drollerie Press Dec. 18th, 10 p.m. – 12 a.m. EST.  Details here.  I’ll be giving away a $20 gift certificate, winner’s choice to Fictionwise or the Drollerie Press bookshop.  Other prizes will include ARCs of yet to be released books and other goodies. 

Hope to see you there!

P.S. I hope I don’t get challenged to write something again.  Although I must confess that the zombie love story was a blast to write.  :mrgreen: :shock: