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A to Z Challenge – O is for Options

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Having options in art is as important to me as having options in life. Those options take many forms. They can include which way my characters will react to whatever situation they are in or how I choose those situations to put them in.

How do I choose who they are? That one is easy. They tell me. 🙂

But what about the events will happen to them? Ah, now this one is a little more conscious. You see, when I write I don’t always have a conscious decision-making process. For me the characters are usually reacting as they should react given who they are. However, I often will get a shiny new idea of what situations to put them in and then see what they do.

Other options involve how I choose to present a story. First person? Third? What kind of story? I usually stick to Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror. However, I also have a Biography I’m working on.

All these options, every time I sit down to write. They are part of the creative process and what make it so much fun.

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “P” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – N is for Names

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Finding the right names for my characters is very important. In The Thulukan Chronicles each name has some sort of significance, some more than others. Thulu and La Fi were names actually inspired by nicknames I thought up for some gaming friends who shared similar names. Just as I was ready to tell these friends their new nicknames, I realized that these names instead belonged to characters. At that point, I simply had to write about them. So I did. 🙂 From there I had to create where these nicknames came from, so La Fi was Fiona, with the story of her hamburgers which she named Burgers a la Fi. That in turn caused the other kids to start calling her La Fi and the name stuck to her.

Thulu is actually Erik Thulukan, III. As a small child he began referring to himself as Thulu. Again the name stuck.

Nana Fae came about because I liked the name Fae for its ethereal meaning, tying it to Nan Fae’s empath abilities.

Brandon Arreo Malone, aka Reo Malone, was named by his eccentric parents. The name also gave me the obvious choice for his stage name and alter ego, Brandy Malone.

Tyler Jones’s real name, Dhavenbahtek, came about with me just playing around with sounds. I also wanted a name that began with “D” and had a slightly Egyptian feel to it.

Parker came about simply because I liked the name.

For the elves and fairies, I went to Celtic influences and names, using them as a basis to use ancient names and sometimes to create new names: Aela, Keiron, Aurelia, Belus and Sloane are the major players.

This is just a few of the names from this very large cast of characters. By now, many of them feel like family, and their names reflect the way their personalities feel to me.

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “O” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

 

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In the Spotlight – Laura Enright

laura l. enright

 

Laura Enright

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Today Laura Enright has graciously consented to stop by and be interviewed and talk to us about her new novel, To Touch the Sun, a vampire novel with a twist.

maersiteaboutheauthorLaura Enright

A resident of Chicago, Laura is  the author of Chicago’s Most Wanted™ The Top 10 Book of Murderous Mobsters, Midway Monsters, and Windy City Oddities, Vampires’ Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Bloodthirsty Biters, Stake-wielding Slayers, and Other Undead Oddities, and Trouble a science fiction comedy with western overtones. She is interested in any number of things, far too many for her limited free time to accommodate. Never the less, she remains a giggling idiot for the ages and encourages the world to follow suit. She likes cats, and even thinks she owns a few, when in reality they own her.

To Touch the Sun is her first full-length horror novel published by Dagda Publishers.

Read on for more about Laura and her intriguing new book…

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A to Z Challenge – M is for Magic

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Magic is seductive, electric and ultimately, unattainable. At least on this world, in this time. But what if it weren’t? What if, for some reason, magic was possible on Earth? What if you woke up tomorrow and turned on the TV to see unicorns, elves, fairies and every other creature from our mythical past?

It was my fascination with that question that produced The Thulukan Chronicles. I wanted magic to be different. Not just for a privileged few to know about, but for everyone to see. That idea took my series places I hadn’t even thought about when I first started writing it. The farther I got into the story, the clearer it became that I wasn’t just writing about paranormal detectives – the kind who actually work for the supernatural. Nope, I was creating a world where magic returns and everyone knows about it. And not just the creatures of magic, but magic itself was making itself known. I’m almost done revising Book 3 of the series, titled appropriately, Magics. It will release this summer. I think I took the premise to its logical conclusion, but of course, the readers will be the judge of that.

I’ve lived with this fun series for only four years, but it has been an intense part of my life. While Magics ties up all sorts of loose ends, the door is left open to continue. So for now I’m not saying goodbye to the series. Not yet. Maybe only “See you later.” We shall see.

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “N” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – L is for La Fi

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La Fi is the voice of The Thulukan Chronicles. La Fi’s real name is Fiona Bartlett Thulukan and she tells the story of magic returning to Earth. We see her and Thulu’s (her husband) roles change and expand through the course of the series.

La Fi was described by one reviewer as a reluctant heroine and I think this is apt. Throughout the three novelettes, as well as the novels, she prefers to fly under the radar in spite of her special gifts. La Fi is able to see and speak to the dead. She’s also able to understand any language, whether she knows it or not. It’s her connection to those who have not yet passed on that gives her a unique perspective on the world. As the world around her changes, it is her connection to the dead which actually serves as her anchor.

Her sense of humor tends to be dry and she has a paranoia about being locked up and studied in a lab somewhere. Throughout all the changes and turmoil around her, she maintains a very stoic view, showing an inner strength, that has yet to be shaken. However, that may (or may not) change in Book 3.  🙂

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “M” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – K is for Key

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I love words that have multiple meanings and uses. Key is one of those little words that have such big meanings. It can be the key to a puzzle, key to a door. The key character, the key for a song. It’s a noun, verb and adjective. In honor of the tiny word, here are some of the key elements in my own life. Even though there are more, without these I wouldn’t be me.

My family and friends – My direct and extended family is awesome and a great support. I love that I’ve picked most of them. So says you can’t pick your family? Plus I have this enormous group of friends online that are awesome.

My dogs – The obvious, again. My little loves keep me entertained. Chloe looks out for the house and property. TrĂ©a is my tiny companion. She sometimes helps Chloe bark.

My writing – My newest passion. Who knew it would come to mean so much and become such a large part of my life.

Music – I can’t imagine being without music. It’s part of almost everything I do.

Gaming – This is my hobby. I get to connect with people and live in a fantasy world all at the same time. I have a fabulous guild that I belong to and great friends to play with.

Teaching – While this is only part-time, it’s very fulfilling. Years ago my own mentor tasked me with passing on what I know. I’ve tried to do as he asked.

 

What will Monday’s word be? Come back for the letter “L” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

 

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Book Blast – Rogue Genesis

Rogue Genesis by Ceri London

 

Rogue Genesis (Shimmer In The Dark #1)

One man. Two worlds separated by a universe. Space-time warped by black holes. In the passing of seconds on Earth, Major Niall Kearey has witnessed the birth and death of generations on Astereal. His mind shortcuts light years to visit a fantastical world of floating sky cities populated by telepaths.

Astereal is in decline, the dueling forces of black holes threaten extinction. Ancient prophecy predicts their interstellar visitor brings salvation. As Niall faces the staggering truth – that his alien dream world is real – he and his family are targeted by secret societies, scheming politicians, and the US military.

Time is running out as Astereal races towards annihilation and temporal alignment with Earth. Power brokers vie for control of his capabilities. Niall must act, balancing the needs of Earth, his family, and the alien civilization he has come to know and love. The fate of two worlds rests on Niall Kearey’s shoulders.

maersiteaboutheauthor

Ceri London

Ceri London

Author Ceri London is married, mother to two girls, and was born and bred in England where she lives today.  After graduating from university, she worked in IT development for an international financial institution then one day started writing science-fiction stories for a hobby, often into the twilight hours. Fifteen years later, a career break to raise her children gradually evolved into a piano tutoring business after Ceri introduced a friend’s daughter to the piano. After completing a long stint of voluntary work as a school governor, Ceri re-indulged her writing muse, switched on the computer—and a few years later published her debut sci-fi/fantasy thriller Rogue Genesis in July 2013, the first of four books in a series called Shimmer in the Dark. She is currently writing the sequel.

 

 

Rogue Genesis Book Trailer

 

You can find Ceri at these links:

Ceri’s Website

Ceri on Twitter

Ceri on Facebook

Ceri on Goodreads

 

You can buy Shimmer in the Dark: Rogue Genesis at these links:

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

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