Breakfast with Dante: A Lesson in Letting Your Characters Lead the Way

I'm going to let you in on a secret:

When I started writing Binding Dante Lovelace, I didn't know Mr. Lovelace very well at all.

I sat down to really start working on the book on a bright and sunny January 1st. It was 2017, a year that would end up quite tragic for me personally. There was death and strife to come, but I didn't know it yet. I had a cup of Earl Gray and the Sherlock Holmes soundtrack, and I was determined to get to know this character. While I'd held many conversations with Dante in my mind, there's nothing quite like writing a character to understand them.

That's not to say I hadn't written him at all before--he had a supporting role in The Last Temptations of Iago Wick. However, all I really knew was:

1. Dante Lovelace is a catastrophe artist, a demon who creates mayhem on Earth in order to corrupt and claim the souls of humans for Hell.
2. He is Iago Wick's more level-headed partner/romantic interest.
3. He collects taxidermy and death-related artifacts to decorate his house at 13 Darke Street and dresses completely in black.

We had a long way to go.

When I first started writing Dante in the first draft of Last Temptations, I had something very different in my head. A tall, dark, and debonair sort of demon who relished in the misery he caused and saw it as as much of an art as Iago saw his temptation of humans. There are shades of this in the first book, to be sure. Think Jason Isaacs. Think a villain you know is bad, but you still kinda love him.

And Dante Lovelace, quite frankly, looked me in the eye and said, "That's not me."

Well, I thought. Then, who are you?

I let him take the wheel more than I had ever done with a character before. I just had this sense that he knew better than I did.

After all, writers don't create characters, we just allow them to come out to play.

So, I began a habit that I still maintain: I promised to work on the manuscript every single day at 5:00 AM. My mind was clearer then, more open to ideas. And just as I did on January 1st, I would sit with a cup of tea (frequently Earl Gray) and just write. While I still had an outline, this book was definitely the most "pantsed" of all the first drafts I ever wrote. I just let the words and the ideas come. Nothing was too strange, nothing was too silly. Over tea and breakfast every morning, I let Dante show me his story.

He surprised me right off the bat in Binding Dante Lovelace when he showed me remorse. He showed me regret. He did not enjoy his work for Hell, not nearly as much as he said he did in the company of other demons. And in doing this, he suddenly seemed trapped, victimized and somewhat vulnerable. He was sympathetic.

More than sympathetic! He was nice. He liked cats and baking and writing love letters by candlelight! He showed me a yearning for something more, for a life beyond what Hell wanted for him. In a way, he told me, he was under Hell's control. He destroyed because they forced him to, and quite frankly, he was growing tired of it.

In his relationship with Iago Wick, he proved to be loyal and passionate. He worried about his lover when they were apart. He wanted more than love with Iago, he wanted a life with him.

Very simply, Dante Lovelace was very alive for a creature so focused on death.

The lesson is: shut up and let your characters talk! I had a vision in my head of what Dante Lovelace was supposed to be, but that wasn't who he truly was. Only when I let him run the show did I realize the tender-hearted character I was writing for. I let his every move and every word come naturally, and what's more, I fell head-over-heels in love with him.

I think writers and creators often get an idea in their head of what a character should be based on popular tropes or other characters. You might be writing a vampire and think, "People like Lestat! I'm going to write the next Lestat."

Don't let someone else's work or expectations hang you up--let your character lead the way, organically.

To go off on a bit of a tangent: this is why I'm not a fan of those big 1000-question character questionnaires. When you fill one of those out, you're forced (on the spot) to come up with your character's life. What's his favorite color? What's a traumatic event from his childhood? What does he dream about? Boom, boom, boom!

Your characters are alive. You wouldn't learn these things about a new acquaintance in rapid succession. Why should you learn them about your character that way? It's not organic, and it's not your character talking. You're deciding those things for your character, rather than them showing you.

As I said, I still get up at 5:00 AM every day to write. The first draft of the third book in The Lovelace & Wick Series is about 85% of the way to completion. It's a doozy, but it features both Lovelace and Wick equally in the main roles. Those demon husbands work quite well together, and as long as they're running the show, I'm happy to tag along.

Cheers!
Jenny















Binding Dante Lovelace is available for purchase at Amazon.

Romancing the Muse: Part One--The Importance of Writing Rituals

When someone says the word Muse, there are a few things which immediately come to mind. Either you think of Disney’s Hercules OR you think of the rock band, Muse, OR you think of some forlorn poet following his lady love, drawing upon her for inspiration.

My muse is none of these things (though I did go through a phase where I REALLY liked the band, Muse. I even named my cat after the lead singer, but we won’t go there.)

My muse is needy, but he’s fickle. He wants to play when I haven’t the time, and when I am ready to write, he’s often content to laze about. He follows me everywhere. He points at trees and buildings, objects and words. And he says, “Remember that, would you?” He’s also a shapeshifter, and in my mind’s eye, he frequently takes the shape of my current protagonist. (In the case of The Lovelace & Wick Series, it varies. Usually, the muse speaks in Mr. Wick’s voice, but recently Mr. Lovelace has had his say.) We have long conversations. We have eureka moments. We don’t always see eye to eye.

It’s complicated.

But at the end of the day, I know (and he knows) that I am his master. I’m the one in control.

Write that down, and never forget it: You are in control of your muse. You are in control of your craft.

Writers are not flotsam and jetsam, rolling about in the tide of our muse’s fancies. We have control. Yes, there are days that are more difficult than others. Words and inspiration don’t always want to cooperate, but never think that you don’t have the upper hand. You do.

Today we’re going to talk about using ritual in order to make sure you and your muse are on the same page when it’s time to write.

Now, when I say ritual, I mean a variety of things. There are sensory experiences which appeal to your muse, yes? They make you suddenly think--even for a brief moment--"Ah! I really want to write." For me, scents do the trick.

Nag champa incense. Sandalwood candles. Tea tree oil. Patchouli. The scent of Earl Grey. These are a few of the things which make my muse perk up. When I smell these scents, they put me in the mood to write.  Recent marketing research indicates that smell plays a huge part in a brand or shop’s ability to sell. Why? Well, for one, we’re so overwhelmed by visual stimuli that visual marketing isn’t as effective as it once was. But it is also a testament to the power of association.

Once we assign the meaning that it's time to write to certain smells, places, and practices, your muse will want to create whenever those factors are at work. That’s how writing rituals are created. So, if you’re having a great writing day, look around you. Assess your surroundings. Capture that creative juice and bottle it, so to speak.

Where are you? By designating a specific writing space, your mind begins to associate that space with the creative process. When you're in that space, your muse will realize that it’s time to get working. Be sure, however, that you don’t use that space for much of anything else. That muddies the association.

What are you drinking? Is it coffee? It’s coffee, isn’t it? A lot of writers will admit that they drink coffee when they write, particularly those of us with membership to the #5amWritersClub. If coffee gets you ready to write, go for it! Although, again, your writing rituals should be exclusive to the writing process. If that means using no creamer or a certain mug, then go for that. In my personal experience, I find that I drink coffee too frequently for it to really be a muse jumpstarter. (I admit, I may have a slight problem.) My go-to drink for writing is tea, preferably Earl Grey.

Are you an early bird or a night owl? Designate a specific writing time. What works best for you? Myself, I wake up at 5:30 every morning to write. By designating that certain time, you’re one again tricking your mind (and your muse) into thinking, “Huh! It’s time to write!”

Write it down! If something really puts you in the mood to create, don’t lose sight of it! Keep a journal of your favorite muse foods. We’ll talk more about journal writing later in the series.

But Jenny, I hear you say, this is nothing but a bunch of mind tricks! I’m tricking my muse into doing what I want them to do!

Yes, you are! That’s what these rituals are all about. You’re luring your muse out of their hole with something shiny. And sometimes these rituals don’t work, and that’s okay. In those cases, I always make a judgment call: do I just need to take a break, or do I need to hunker down and write, no matter what? A lot of times I go with the latter option. Eventually the muse will begrudgingly come to play.

What are your favorite writing rituals? How do they help you? What does your muse feed on?

Until next time!
Jenny

Romancing the Muse: A 5-Part Series About Strengthening Your Relationship With Your Muse

When you’re a writer, you hear a lot of different opinions on the craft of writing. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Never give your story a prologue! Never touch 2^nd-person narrative with a ten-foot pole!

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my writing habits and rituals lately, and I keep pondering this one topic upon which writers just cannot seem to agree.

Do you wait for inspiration to strike or do you just sit down, shut up, and write?

I’ve always subscribed to the latter. I write every day, whether or not inspiration strikes. But recently, as I’ve studied myself, I’ve wondered, “Why do these two ideas have to be mutually exclusive?”

While I firmly believe that the best cure for writer’s block is just sitting down and forcing yourself to write, I also believe that everyone has a muse, that spark of inspiration. It sits inside all of us, waiting to be stimulated. The path to a happy muse is different for everyone, but with a little experimentation, soul-searching, and just a smidge of psychology, we can all have happy muses. If we listen to our muse, we can figure out what puts us in that ideal mindset for writing. We can be at peace with the muse and be in the best mindset for creation.

It might seem like a very romantic notion. Yes, there are rules to writing, and yes, there are techniques, but let’s be honest—there’s a lot of room for romance, too. I mean, really, you’re building worlds and people and relationships! Writing is inherently romantic.

This series of blog posts intends to help you tap into that romance and inspiration, awakening your muse and working WITH them, not against them. You’ll call upon your muse to join you for a session of writing, and they won’t put up a fight (as often—we can’t completely work miracles. Muses can be fussy buggers).

Seems a bit abstract, right? Don’t worry. We’ll take it one step at a time. In this series, we’ll cover:

•          Just who or what is your muse?
•          The importance of writing rituals
•          How journal writing is muse food
•          Making the muse work—even when they don’t want to and you haven't got time for           their BS!
•      And so much more!

Now, as a bit of homework for next time, I’d like for you to really think about your muse. Who or what do you think they are? What do they look like in your mind’s eye? What do they sound like? Are they nagging? Lazy? Enthusiastic? Why do you think this is?

Until next time!

Jenny

How to Ramp Up the Atmosphere In Your Spooky Story

One of the key parts of any book is atmosphere, but it’s especially important in horror and paranormal fiction. Think about this way: I’m sure you’ve all seen a TV show about ghost hunting (or, if you’re like me, four or five or ten). Perhaps you’ve even gone on a few paranormal investigations or ghost tours. How often have you heard the following scenario?

“Mrs. Smith claims that the building is haunted! She’s scared out of her wits!”

“Really? What’s happened? Has she ever seen anything?”

“Well, no… but she says there’s just a really weird feeling about the place. Creepy. Like she’s being watched.”

My guess is you’ve heard this exchange, or something similar, more than a few times. Now, Mrs. Smith may be full of it or maybe the building really is haunted, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the atmosphere that has caused her to believe the place is haunted; it’s gotten inside her head and made her feel uneasy.

This is something that all good horror and paranormal writing has to do, whether you’re writing a straight-up horror story or something fun or adventurous with paranormal elements. That atmosphere is what takes your reader from their world and drops them into yours.

So, how do we conjure the perfect atmosphere?

Naturally, the first thing to consider is your setting; a lot of your atmosphere comes from there. In The Lovelace & Wick Series, I made the macabre city of Marlowe, Massachusetts is its own character. This was a conscious decision I made from the start, studying cities such as Salem and Beverly. I wanted that city to have its own presence. And so, it’s described as a sort of monster, looming over its citizens. It's as though it’s a living thing. The citizens themselves are like a Greek chorus or disciples of the great monster that is Marlowe. In adding these details, I’ve automatically strengthened the sense of atmosphere; the whole setting comes alive. (And yes, there is definitely some Lovecraftian inspiration there!) Your setting should have some presence. A story that could take place anywhere might not make the same impression as one with its setting woven into the fibers of the narrative.

Next, I think it’s important to consider the intent of the scene or piece. Let’s say Author A is writing a slasher story. Mary Jane is running through the woods, but she’s totally lost and she’s running out of hope fast. The killer is out there somewhere. The whistle of the wind, to Mary Jane, is frightening, ominous, like the lonely moan of a forlorn spirit.

But Author B is writing a paranormal romance story. Lady Carmilla is awaiting her lover in the woods. The wind whistles, and its soothing to her. It sings a sweet, but melancholy song and reminds her of Count Vlad, her vampire lover who wants to make her a part of his kingdom of the undead.

The exact same detail in these two scenes adds to the atmosphere in very different ways (both in a rather hokey manner, but you get the picture). Think about what your scene is trying to achieve and how the setting can be interpreted in conjunction with that intent.

If you feel like you’re struggling with atmosphere, try this exercise. Go to a park, your bedroom, a cemetery, anywhere. Now, how does that place feel? Take a few minutes to write it all down. Is it relaxing? Lonely? Bustling? Now ask yourself why? What’s contributing to that atmosphere. Rely on those five senses. What details, if suddenly added, would change the atmosphere? What would make it suddenly eerie?  Are these changes subtle? Obvious? Meaningful?

The nice thing about being an author is you can add atmospheric details that have meaning. A butterfly sailing past might represent your protagonist’s deceased grandmother. The rainy weather might reflect her sour mood. Giving meaning to your atmosphere allows your reader to become more submerged in your story.

A scene is like a little symphony—every instrument works together. Think about all the tiny details that help create the perfect atmosphere. Then, think about how that atmosphere contributes to the overall meaning of the scene. Then, think about how that scene contributes to the book as a whole. It all works together, so it’s important to always consider how it works together, especially when you’re going for that spooky atmosphere that’s perfect for your story.

Readers and writers, what do you think makes a good, spooky atmosphere?

Cheers!
Jenny

The Anatomy of a Writing Space

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I recently moved into a new apartment. Now, this apartment is an astounding space with a great kitchen, hardwood floors, high ceilings and a ton of closet space...

...naturally, I was the most concerned with where my writing space would be.

(I mean, the kitchen is nice, too, BUT...)

The spaces in which we create are so important. Whether you're making jewelry at a work desk, acting on stage, playing at your piano or writing in your office, it is paramount that you feel comfortable in the space and inspired by the space. Once your brain begins to realize, "Ah! This is where we come to create!" then you're more likely to have a successful session.

Today, I wanted to share my writing space with you, not only so I can share a little bit about my process but that so perhaps I can inspire you in designing your own perfect space in which you can create.

Here is my desk. I like to surround myself with images and trinkets and doodads which put me in the mood to write or could serve as inspiration. I LOVE antiquing. What better way to inspire yourself to tell a story than to surround yourself with items that tell another's tales?

The lamp above is Mid-Century. It's a really amazing example of a late 1950s/early 1960s fiberglass drum shade that I was able to pick up (lamp, shade and all) for a whopping $15 at an antique store in Virginia!

These books are a collection of poems by Poe, Paradise Lost, and Green Mansions. My favorite item here, however, is the commemorative Telstar dish in the foreground!

The medical print in front is a gift from my sister--it's from the 1920s. I often find myself studying the diagram, so if I ever end up on Jeopardy, that may come in handy. The phone in the back was an old workshop/barn phone I bought in Lancaster, Ohio. It's got little spatters of paint all over, which I love.

And of course, it's just as important to have a good reading space. Right next to my desk, I have this comfy chair along with a lantern and an old stereoscope I picked up in downtown Circleville, Ohio. The pillow is from Waynesville, Ohio.

There you have it! I get up at 5:30 every morning, drag myself to this desk, and start writing!

So, where is your favorite place to create? Share some pictures of your inspiration space in the comments.

Until next time,

Jenny

What's In a Name?: How to Come Up with the Perfect Name for Your Character

Indiana Jones. Bilbo Baggins. Mary Poppins. Victor Frankenstein.

Now, do you think their stories would be quite as grand if their names were Robert Jones or Mary Smith? Maybe… but I bet you wouldn’t remember those characters quite as clearly.

Particularly when you’re writing fantasy or sci-fi, naming your character is paramount. This is something, I’ll admit, I harp upon when acting as a beta reader. So, I’d like to formally apologize for any vicious tirades on which I may have gone concerning poorly-chosen character names:

Right, now that that’s out of the way…

Your characters are your babies. People agonize over what they’re going to name their child. Such care should go into naming your characters, as well, and yes: I mean every character.

Someone asked me recently how I named my characters, and the question stuck with me so much, that I decided I needed to write a whole post on the topic. There are a few things I take into consideration.

1. The character’s personality. This one is obvious, but I think it’s one of those things that’s so obvious that people sometimes overlook it. A character’s name is an extension of their personality.  It helps cement the character in the reader’s mind. So, the first thing I do is look at the character’s personality. Let’s use Iago Wick as an example (because he so loves being the center of attention).

“Iago” comes from Shakespeare’s villain in Othello, of course. I found that appropriate since Iago spends his days tempting humans and manipulating them. His last name references a candle wick, in addition to the word “wicked” but it's also a very quick and biting word. The word "wick" is sharp with a percussive final consonant. That reflects Iago’s quick wit and rather sharp nature. His name conveys a lot about him through literary allusions and overall sound—almost like a little mini biography.

2. The tone of the story. If you’re Terry Pratchett and you’re writing a Discworld novel, then a clockmaker named Jeremy Clockson (a nod, of course, to British personality Jeremy Clarkson) is a great idea. If you’re writing a particularly humorous tale and you want to name your hunky love interest Matt Goodflesh, then, more power to you. However, punny names can hurt your character if you’re writing something a little more serious. I always take the tone of the piece into mind when naming characters.

3. Say it out loud—over and over again. When you’re writing, you may be months into a project before you ever actually say a word about it. Sure, you think and write and type every day, but your character’s name has to look good on paper AND sound good out loud. So, say it out loud. Some of my personal rules (feel free to break these for your own purpose—this is just me):

- Nothing that rhymes too much.

- Nothing that’s too close to another character’s name.

- Must have nice prosody—that is the rhythm and musicality of the name.

- If I mess up saying it more than three times, it’s out. If you can’t say your character’s name, how is your reader going to say it? Don’t get too complicated.

4. Part of your world. When you’re writing sci-fi or fantasy, you may be writing about other worlds and perhaps those worlds have their own language or idea of aesthetic. Always take that into account. It’s going to stand out like a sore thumb if you’ve crafted this beautiful otherworldly language… and then your otherworldly main character is named Mike. Really put some thought into what certain words and syllables mean in your world. What makes a name beautiful? What makes a name suitable for a villain? I love getting into the linguistics, and it will give your readers a richer experience, too.

I often use old and underused names in The Lovelace & Wick Series. It adds flavor but also keeps us firmly rooted in the pseudo-steampunk 1890s world in which the stories take place.

5. Don’t rely too much on name meaning sites. I mean this. Seriously. I’ve seen people spend HOURS of precious writing time on name meaning sites and still come up with only an average name for their character. (If they come up with a name at all! Sometimes the name meaning site—bloated with questionable ads and pop-ups—swallows the poor author whole and we never see them again.)

Honestly, though, the meaning of the name can be flavor, but I wouldn’t go in too deep. This is mostly because the average reader doesn’t know the meaning of the name Kate or Allie or Jeffrey or Quentin. While it might mean something to you, that’s not being conveyed to the reader, and at the end of the day, the reader’s perception is paramount.

A character’s name is precious. It’s a key part of them, and you love your characters, right? Well, do them a favor and give them a name that will make them proud! Shout it from the rooftops! (Maybe not. Don’t want to alarm the public officials.)

What about you, writers? How do you name your characters? And readers: what makes a good character name in your eyes? What’s your favorite?

Cheers!
Jenny

Demons and vampires and cyborgs, oh my!

Oooh, look! A fancy title card.

The Last Temptations of Iago Wick has been released for a little over a month now. Thank you to everyone who has supported the book so far.

So, to answer question number one (because I've gotten this several times now!): YES, Iago Wick is the first book in a series. This series will not only include other books, but short stories. I've been calling it The Lovelace & Wick Series, since those gentleman demons will be the focus of each installment. These characters have really taken me by surprise. They have so much to say! (Iago, in particular, truly does not know when to shut up.)

I'm taking this opportunity to announce the next publication, a long-short story/short novella, titled Iago Wick and The Vampire Queen. Yes, we're pairing demons with vampires because that always ends spectacularly, right? This story has been an absolute blast to write. It takes place just months before The Last Temptations of Iago Wick, and it's been a joy to further explore Marlowe, Massachusetts. I won't say too much yet, but I will say this: there are cyborgs.

Also, I've completed a draft of the next novel in the series. This novel will focus more upon Iago's partner in crime, Dante Lovelace and sees Dante and Iago teaming up with a crafty witch named Beatrice (much to Mr. Wick's chagrin).

Keep an eye out for the cover reveal of Iago Wick and The Vampire Queen soon. In the meantime, if you haven't picked up The Last Temptations of Iago Wick yet, it's only 99 cents on Amazon.

Cheers!
Jenny

Location, location, location...

I am currently listening to the audio book of American Gods on my daily commute. (I'm all about listening to audio books in the car, by the way. What better a way to prep for the day than to lose yourself for a spell in the works of great authors like Neil Gaiman?)

In the introduction, read by Mr. Gaiman himself, he talked about all the different places he wrote the original draft of American Gods. This really made me think. Reading and writing are all about traveling to other worlds. I can be in space while I'm sitting waiting for the bus, or trekking through Middle Earth while in a noisy cafe.

Much of my latest novel (set to come out in February--look for an announcement soon!) was written either on my couch with a cup of tea or at the local county library. My sister spent the last two years in Virginia getting her Masters in piano performance at James Madison University. I would talk to her about my WIP and my main character, Iago, and all of his adventures. The first time she visited my apartment after returning to Ohio, she looked into the living room and said, "So, this is where Iago was born."

My living room--the utter mess that it is--was indeed where much of Iago's story was written. It's not a very inspiring place. It's unfortunately dark, and I'm usually surrounded by empty tea cups. All the same, I've had so many fruitful and exciting writing sessions there.

But is there a benefit to writing in new and different places? And what about reading?

If anything, there's a certain feeling of inspiration that can come with writing in different places. I'm not saying that every author should book a plane ticket every weekend and go write at the Grand Canyon. I merely mean that switching settings might keep things fresh. On Saturdays, visit the library. On Tuesdays, check out that cafe down the street. There's a short story in Thoroughly Modern Monsters that I wrote in the car at a local park after stumbling upon an old graveyard. (Be ready to write everywhere.)

I feel like reading can be the same way. I often connect the places where I read books with the books themselves. Frankenstein, for example, will always remind me of the various reading rooms and hidden nooks at Ohio State. It enriches the experience, somehow. When I think of the book, it takes me on a little trip in my mind.

I'm currently 20,000 words into my next manuscript (a tale that, though it focuses primarily on another character, still features Iago--I can't get rid of him yet). I'm making a pledge to write that manuscript in as many different places as possible. It's a bit of a challenge, I guess. I want to see if it has any effect on my process at all. And, of course, every writer is different, just like every reader is different.

Today, I plan on visiting the Columbus Museum of Art.

And what about you, dear reader? Do you value a change of scenery? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time,
Jenny