In Case You Missed It: Literary Orange 2014, Part 4

What: Literary Orange
Where: Marriott, Irvine
When: Friday, April 5, 2014

Please Note: The quotes are approximate.

Panel #2
YA: The Awesome Age

People on the Panel

• Maurene Goo, author, Since You Asked, www.maurenegoo.com
• Jessica Brody, author, Unremembered, www.jessicabrody.com
• Kendare Blake, author, Antigoddess, www.kendareblake.com
• Alyson Beecher, moderator

"You don't have to like the character.  Just the story."

My first panel and second panel are in the same room, so I remain in my seat.  Why not?  I've got a good view of the stage.  As the panelists play musical chairs, I gaze through my notes.  Suddenly, I hear my name called.  I look up.

Two members of my party--Michelle Knowlden and Debra Young--sit down beside me.  They both took a "Save the Cat" workshop with one of the panelists, Jessica Brody, and they've come to show support for their former teacher.  As for me, I'm here because this is the only panel even closely related to my chosen genre of fantasy.  Mystery, literary fiction, poetry, and narrative non-fiction are all well-represented.  Speculative works are scarce.

The members on this panel seem young.  Two of the women are Asian--the only non-white speakers I will encounter the whole day.  On the far left is Maurene Goo, followed by Jessica Brody and then Kendare Blake.  Alyson Beecher, the moderator, occupies the far right.  I think about taking a picture of the room for reference, but I'm too lazy.

The moderator makes the obligatory introductions and we begin.

* * *

Moderator: Can you each tell us a little about your writing journey?

Maurene Goo

Maurene: Well, my writing journey was probably different from these ladies here.  I had no aspirations of being a writer.  I never thought it could be done.  I wrote a sample chapter for a grad school application.  I decided not to go into that program, but I kept writing.  I have a friend who's a graphic artist.  I sent the story to him.  It turns out his editor, who worked with graphic novels, wanted to tackle regular novels, and mybook was just what he was looking for. So the stars really aligned for me.

Since You Asked by Maurene Goo

Jessica: At the age 7, I wrote the riveting story of a puppy and kitty who--spoiler alert--get the chicken pox. I put my story on the shelf with all the other books and that was the first time I really saw myself as an author.  As I grew up, though, I thought, Writing isn't a real job.  I kept writing, but it was more of a hobby.  Then I got laid off.  The severance package was 18 months.  I stretched it and wrote novel my first novel.  Then I started to write YA.  I was thinking about trying SciFi when I saw a news article about a plane crash with a sole survivor.  I started thinking about that lone survivor. What if she had no memories?  What if she had superpowers?  That became the basis for Unremembered.

Kendare: I didn't think I could make a living from writing. I had a boring job.  One night I was on the barn roof with my brother.  We were drinking beers, talking about the need to leave the country. And the easiest way to do that was with a student visa.  I went to Middlesex University in England.  When I came back, I thought, Well, I can live with parents forever.  I wrote a contemporary novel, first.  But I decided blood and guts was the way for me and wrote Anna Dressed in Blood.

Moderator: Can you tell me about the element of world-building and research involved in your writing?


Jessica Brody

Maurene: I write contemporary stories, so I don't do a lot of world building.  My settings are realistic but more heightened and exaggerated.  It's a little more fun, a little more fantasy.

Jessica: Writing this trilogy has been a crash course in world-building.  It takes place in the real world--at first.  In the first book, I'd put in little hints about the world my character comes from.  Then, in the third book, I realized she had to return to her own world.  All those hints in first book needed to be explained. 


Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Kendare: Anna Dressed in Blood took place in the real world.  I set it in a city close to my house, so I could do fun research trips for local details.  I take a more minimalist approach to description, but I still need details.  The challenge in Antigoddess was building gods that work in the real world while honoring the original Greek myth.  So I did a lot of research.  It was intimidating, because there were all these different origin stories and some of them contradicted each other.  I ended up relying on Homer.



Moderator: You all create characters that feel very real.  Do you ever have trouble with characters going in different directions than you intended?  Is it hard being evil to the characters?

Kendare: Well, as far as characters misbehaving, I created a character named Carmel, who I thought was going to die. Turns out she didn't.  If I'd have known she was going to live I wouldn't have name her Carmel!  In Antigoddess, Hermes told me he was gay.  I was like, "Okay...  At least you told me early."

Kendare Blak

Jessica: I have argued that erasing all of your character's memories and planting new ones is the most evil thing you can do.  Because if you have no memories, how do you know who you are? As far as surprises, one of my characters turned out to be the brother of my heroine.  It was a very, "Luke, I am your father" moment.

Maurene: I think even normal characters can surprise you.  Friendships in my book turned out to be much deeper than I anticipated.  ...I guess, I don't really do evil things to my characters.  The worst thing I've put them through is Life--which is evil enough.


Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Moderator: Recently, there was an article in Time discussing what is the ideal YA female protagonist.  Your thoughts?

Jessica: So I wrote a novel called 52 Reasons I Hate My Father about a rich girl who has to work 52 jobs before she can inherit her trust fund.  People have told she's unlikable in the beginning of the story.  I'm like, "Yeah...  And your point is?"  She's supposed to start off unlikable, but over the course of the story she changes and redeems herself.  You don't have to like the character.  Just the story.

Maurene: People have told me, "I hated the protagonist."  I feel deflated, because she's based on me.  There's lots of pressure to have this perfect character, but as a writer, it's not that interesting.  My heroine is honest about her flaws.  That's an attractive quality to me.

Kendare: There's this sense in society that females are judged more harshly than males.  Look at superhero movies.  When we meet the heroes at the start of the movie, they're dicks.  But we're told, "You just need to peel back the layers, like an onion, and you'll see that deep down, he's a good guy."  But we're not willing to do that with female characters.  We expect them to be perfect to begin with.

Maurene: Plus, we're dealing with teenagers.  Think of what you were like as a teenager.  You weren't your best self.

* * *

We open for questions.

I glare at my notes.  They don't quite capture how funny and witty these women really are.  But I have been listening too closely to write down more than a phrase or two. Oh well.  At least I had more fun at this panel than the last one.

After questions end, Michelle and Debra walk up to Jessica to say their hellos.  Networking, I think.  Here's my chance.  But I am not a master socializer.  I find myself standing awkwardly between the three ladies as they catch up.  By the time Jessica turns to me for an introduction, I barely manage to burble out my name.

Well, that went well, I think, as the authors all move to their signing tables.  A chance for networking has slipped through my fingers.

* * *

To Be Continued....

In Case You Missed It: Literary Orange 2014, Part 3

What: Literary Orange
Where: Marriott, Irvine
When: Friday, April 5, 2014

Please Note: The quotes are approximate.

Panel #1
Agents: The Business of Writing

People on the Panel

• Julia Drake, publicist, Julia Drake Public Relations (JDPR), www.juliadrakekepr.com
• BJ Robbins, agent, The BJ Robbins Literary Agency 
• Linda Friedman, moderator

"The most boring thing is a plot synopsis."

With the morning keynote finished, everyone splits off to different panels.  I head over to the Marina Del Ray/ Newport Beach room, which, despite its double name, is actually pretty small.  A few pictures of palm trees are the room's only decoration.

The lady I sit next to shares her notes on Marlo Thomas' keynote address.  She's summed it up in three words: Acknowledge, Appreciate, Action.  I wish I could be so succinct.

There's a black-clothed table in the front of the room. Three ladies sit at it with white paper triangles displaying their names.  The publicist, Julia, sits in the middle. She sports short dark hair.  Two blonds flank either side of her.  To the left is moderator Linda, who wears glasses on her nose.  To the right is agent BJ, who wears glasses atop her head.  All three ladies are wearing green.  If there's some deeper meaning to the color, I don't know what it is.

I'm afraid that this will be a very loose question and answer session, with the audience lobbing whatever questions come to mind, with no real order to the presentation.  Thankfully, I learn the moderator will be the one asking questions.  Reassured, I click my lead pencil and start to write.

* * *

Moderator:  So let's begin.  Why don't you ladies start by introducing yourself.

Julia: My name is Julia Drake.  I founded a P.R. firm, Julia Drake Public Relations, which does targeted social media and events.  I have over 100 clients, from NY Times best-sellers to new authors.

BJ: I'm BJ Robbins.  I'm a literary agent based in LA.  I started in publicity in Simon and Schuster. Later I became an editor, and then I moved into agenting.  I represent both fiction and non-fiction.  For fiction, I veer towards what I like to call literary with a lowercase l. Literary fiction is a tough sell right now.  I like narrative-driven nonfiction, such as history and memoir--also a tough sell.  I have to really like the voice of the work, but I also have to know that I can sell it in this hostile marketplace.

Moderator: For writers, there's a 2-pronged effort, first to find an agent and get published, and second to run a publicity campaign.  BJ, what advice do you have about the first part of that effort?

BJ: Learn as much as you can, and get your manuscript as good as you can.  Even to the extent of hiring an editor.  You only get one chance to make a good impression.

Moderator: Julia, what would you consider a realistic publicity effort?

Julia: Depends on the writer's platform.  I hate that word.  People hear it and think what does platform mean?  Basically a platform means your built-in readership.  You should already have a website and social media up.  The actual publicity campaign starts 6 months before the book is published. We tap into different media to promote the book.  Everything is working toward the publishing date.

Moderator: BJ, how involved are you with editing?

BJ: Really involved.  If I see potential, I will edit.  It's more developmental editing as opposed to line editing.  It's also sort of a test for the writer, to see how they behave.  Are they willing to change their work?  Because if they don't take my advice, they won't take advice from the publisher.  By the way, you don't have to make every correction. Just 80%.

Moderator: This question is for Julia.  What's the most effective way to do social media?

Julia: From P.R. perspective, you should focus on whatever increases your visibility, whatever resonates, whatever makes you unique.  It's not just updating your Facebook account 20 times a day.  You need a content posting strategy.  Although social media creates buzz and audience interaction, that doesn't necessarily translate into sales.  I've noticed that some bestselling authors don't do social media, but they do write blogs.  It's consistency that's important.

Moderator: How do you find an agent that's a good match?

BJ: It starts with a query letter--a good one--one targeted specifically at me.  No "Dear Agent" or multiple listings in the email header.  Tell me why you're approaching me and what your book is about.  The summary should be no longer than a paragraph.  Then tell me something about yourself: if you've been published before, if you have an interesting job, your credentials.

Moderator: Julia, when people interview you to be their P.R. agent, how do you promote yourself?

Julia: Actually, we're interviewing them.  We have to believe in the project.  What's your platform?  How can we sell you?  All of you.  We look for anything interesting in your background or maybe something happening in the news that connects to your book.  Authors fill out a questionnaire.

Moderator: So you need to feel simpatico?

Julia: We want our clients to feel comfortable with us.  Transparency is important.  We encourage people to call previous clients and talk to them and to look over our old promotional material. That's the difference between the big scary P. R. firms versus the smaller boutique ones.  Smaller P.R. firms give more personalized attention.  You go for a big name publicist for the big hits--for having Oprah on speed dial.  But understand, they still might not be able to get you on Oprah.  In fact, if you're self-published, they won't even take you on as a client.  And sometimes those big hits don't translate into sales.  A New York Times review might do nothing, because the market is fractured.

BJ: Same thing with literary agents.

Moderator: What are your views on how publishing has changed?

BJ: Ever since I started, I've heard about the death of publishing, blah, blah, blah, but for those of us in publishing, it's still business as usual.  That doesn't mean there haven't been changes.  There are fewer places I can take a book to. More goes into the decision to purchase a book than the editor loving it.  The marketing director will say, 'What's the platform?'  If there is none, the book will be axed.  There's more emphasis on celebrity authors, more media noise.  It's harder to compete, harder to get attention, harder to make money.  The heyday of bidding is gone.  Sometimes it's better to look for a smaller, more enthusiastic press, who will pay less of an advance but give you more attention.

Moderator: Julia, what can you tell us about literary events versus social media?

Julia: Actual face-to-face contact works better.  It gives you sense of an audience and creates a personal connection.  Book clubs, libraries, and literary luncheons like these work great for selling books.  But its not enough just to show up and sign books.  You need to think more outside of the box, you have to make it an experience.  So maybe hire a musician, make a slideshow, always have food.  When you talk, don't just tell us what your book is about.  The most boring thing is a plot synopsis.  People want to hear about you, how you were inspired to write the book.  It's all about selling yourself.

Moderator: I remember an event based on an epic novel of Cuba in the 50s.  They held it at a restaurant and hired salsa dancers and everything.  They actually rolled the book into the price of the event.  Everyone got a copy with purchase of admission.

Julia: That's a good example of thinking outside the box.

Moderator: Self-publishing has exploded with the rise of e-readers and Print-on-Demand.  What are your thoughts?

Julia: A couple of things about self-publishing.  It's done a good job of democratizing the market. Content is king.  But if you do self-publish, know that you're going against the current.  Traditional publishers are still able to get more media attention.  And since there's a higher volume of books in the marketplace, it's harder to compete.  Ask yourself, Should I be writing this?  Is the hook strong enough?  The advantage to owning your own publishing company is that if you do make a killing, you don't have to share.  The risk is higher, but the rewards are higher, too.

BJ: Some people self-publish thinking it will get them an agent.  And while that does happen, it's a really small percentage.  Out of all the thousands of self-published books, maybe 10 will land an agent.  So that can't be your reason.  A lot of these services advertise that it doesn't cost anything to self-publish your book.  But it does end up costing.  It costs your time--just doing the formatting, for example.  It costs money for the artwork.  It costs in marketing.  If you self-publish, you're not going to get any bookstore distribution.  Some of these services say that they'll put your book in a catalogue--okay, but who's going to see them?  You have to be careful and get as much info as possible.

* * *

The formal interview over, the moderator opens for questions.  I stretch my cramped fingers and stare at my 6 pages of scribbles, a feeling of pessimism pressing against me like a wave of humidity. I already knew most of these things.  Certainly, after 15 rejections, I understand the impossibility of netting an agent, even with polished, personalized queries.  A few nuggets of information may prove useful--like charging people for an event and tossing the book in free.

Mostly, I feel overwhelmed.  How can I succeed, if I'm not famous enough for a traditional publisher or loud enough for publishing on my own?  Is there a way for me?  How much will I have to risk before I see any reward?

* * *

To Be Continued...

In Case You Missed It: Literary Orange 2014, Part 2

What: Literary Orange
Where: Marriott, Irvine
When: Friday, April 5, 2014

Please Note: The quotes are approximate.

Morning Keynote Speaker

Marlo Thomas, actress, author, activist
Books: Free to Be... You and Me, It Ain't Over...Till Its Over
Website: www.marlothomas.com

"Never face the facts, or you won't get up in the morning."

I don't know Marlo Thomas.  I've heard of her from my aunt and uncle.  They say she starred in a TV show called That Girl and that her father, Danny Thomas, was a famous actor.  These names don't ring a bell.  In fact, the only thing I recognize is St. Jude, a charity that the Thomas family is associated with.  Aside from that, I'm a blank slate.

The woman standing on the stage has long blond-brown hair and a bright red blouse.

"Wow," Marlo says to the audience.  "You all look so much younger in person."

We laugh at the joke.  She continues to entertain us with funny stories and her favorite quotes.

"Laughter is an intimacy," she says.  "It brings us together.  I love being in places where women are talking and sharing ideas."

One of those places happens to be her website, where women post comments about their lives.

"One thing that really took me aback was how many of these women felt stuck in their lives.  These were the empty-nesters, women stuck in dead-end jobs, women who had lost their house, who were laid off, divorced, or caring for elderly parents.  And they were all asking, 'What do I want to do with the rest of my life?' "

This inspired her to write an article called, "It Ain't Over...Till It's Over."  The article was later expanded into a book of the same name, filled with the stories of real women who made drastic changes or accomplished great things in the second half of their lives.

"It's not a self-help book," she explains.  "It's a map, showing you where you might go."

Marlo tells us the stories of some of the women who inspired her, including a retired probation officer who, in her 70s, fulfilled her dream of becoming an actress and a mother who took scuff marks on a wall and turned it into a $4 million dollar invention.

"Age meant nothing to these women," she says. "Sometimes we think we're the only person... whose parade has passed us by.  A dream could run out on us or we might never make our dream happen or we might go through life unsure of what our dream is.  But it's not too late to still have a dream."

Marlo pauses. "So how do you start to change your life?"

Her acting coach gave her a saying.  "Acting is not in your head.  It's in the doing."  It may seem overwhelming at first.  But there's a way in.  And if, everyday, you do one thing toward your dream, you'll get there.

"And you're going to fail," Marlo adds.  "But you'll get through it.  Thomas Edison used to say, 'I have not failed.  I've just discovered 10,000 ways to do it wrong.' "

Marlo begins to talk about the process of reinventing yourself and how she did it time and time again in her own life.  Her father didn't want her to be an actress at first, so she studied English in college.  And when she received her bachelor's degree, she handed it to her father and said, "This is for you"  Then she went off to be an actress.

I've been enjoying the inspiring stories, but I must admit, its these personal tales that really draw me in.  I had assumed that having a famous father would make it easier for Marlo be successful as an actress.  It turns out I was wrong.  Marlo had to work hard to distinguish herself from her father.

At one point, she considered changing her name in order to avoid comparisons.  But her father told her: "I raised you to be a thoroughbred.  Thoroughbreds don't look at anyone else.  They put on their blinders and run."

When Marlo got her own T.V. show, That Girl, everyone told her how revolutionary it was to show a single woman living on her own.  She didn't think it was revolutionary, because it seemed like every family had a girl like that--a girl who aspired to be independent.

The show led to a lot of fan mail.  Many letters were frivolous.  But then she'd get letters from a 16-year-old girl who was pregnant and scared to tell her family or a 23-year old woman trapped in an abusive marriage.

"I was floored... and scared," Marlo says.  "I was just an actress.  I didn't know how to solve these problems."

But Marlo felt responsible and tried to find these girls a place where they could get help.  She looked and looked and found that no such place existed.  The girls were writing to her because they had no one else to turn to.

That's when she became an activist.

"My father always said there are two kinds of people in the world," Marlo tells us.  "Those who see an accident and pull over to help.  And those who just drive by."

Her father knew something about helping other people.  He founded St. Jude, which treats children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  Each year they have to raise $830 million dollars--and each year they do.

But in the beginning, it started with $7 and a promise.

When Marlo was in the hospital being born, her father needed $50 to pay the bill and bring her home.  All he had was $10.  Now Danny Thomas was not a religious man, but in his desperate hour, he prayed to St Jude.  Help me get the money and I will build you a shrine.  He put in $7.  Then he got a phone call, saying he got a job as a singing toothbrush.  The pay was $70.

Her father always told his children that this was his burden, not theirs--so of course, they all choose to join in and help.  Marlo became a spokesperson for the organization.  When she goes into the hospital what she sees often stuns her and touches her.  She tells many stories, but my favorite is of a mother and a little girl patient.

The mother had spotted Marlo and brought the little girl up to her.

"Do you know who this girl's Daddy is?" the mother asked the child.

"Yes," the little girl replied.

"Who?" the mother said.

"Saint Jude."

The most poignant story is when a father asked Marlo if she would come inside and say goodbye to his son.  Despite the best care and treatment, the boy was dying.  Marlo held him and said goodbye.

"Holding a dying child in my arms--I never thought I'd be strong enough," Marlo says.  "But I was--and it changed me."

She ends by leaving us with two last quotes:

"Impossible is something that hasn't happened yet."  And, "If you want to predict the future, invent it."

* * *

To Be Continued...

In Case You Missed It: Literary Orange 2014, Part 1

 

 

 

What: Literary Orange
Where: Marriott, Irvine
When: Friday, April 5, 2014

Please Note: The quotes are approximate.

Introduction

"This is a gift to you, so you can connect with the authors you love and discover new authors and new genres."

Literary Orange is a luncheon gathering of authors, readers, and librarians that takes place in Irvine once a year.  It cost $60 if you sign up in advance, $70
at the door.  A continental breakfast, a nice lunch, and a bookbag is included in the price.

It is my first time here, and I don't know what to expect.  I've come as a writer in hopes, I suppose, of gleaning information about the craft and business of writing and, more vaguely, of networking.  Beyond that, I have no plan.  But I do come bearing a fresh green spiral bound notebook and some lead pencils.  Whatever else I will do, I will listen and record.

Inside the Marriott, tables bearing glass squares brimming with little mandarin oranges (or perhaps tangerines) tell me I'm at the right place.  I register, clip my magnetic name tag on my sweater, and head into the ballroom.  It is nice in a generic sort of way: red-patterned carpets, round tables with white cloth, bulbous golden light fixtures in the place of chandeliers.  My party is early.  We take one of the non-reserved tables near the stage and head over to get breakfast.

I help myself to coffee, a scone, and three bright red strawberries.

The bookstore, hosted by Mysterious Galaxy, sits adjacent to the ballroom.  The books lie in rectangular stacks on three long tables, all arranged in alphabetical order, author last name first.  A few wise people purchase books in advance, before the mad rush begins. I'm not so wise.  I run my hand along the books, skimming through the title names, taking it all in.

 

The room begins to crowd.  A woman asks if the seat is taken.  Another woman sits down to my right.  Most of the people in the room are middle-aged and older women.  Some are readers, some are writers, and I bump into one of the librarians from the Brea Library.  I begin to think about how the event will appeal to all these demographics.  Is my original assumption correct?  Will it just be information pertaining to writing?  Or will it be something else?

As I wonder, a woman steps up to the stage.  She is a librarian.  She welcomes us to Literary Orange.  "This is a gift to you," she says.  "So you can connect with the authors you love and discover new authors and new genres."

And so it begins.

* * *

In the coming days, I will post each section, one day at a time

Sunday: Morning Keynote Speaker (Marlo Thomas)
Monday: Panel #1 Agents: The Business of Writing
Tuesday: Panel # 2 YA: The Awesome Age
Wednesday: Lunch
Thursday: Panel # 3 Travel: Journeys in Writing
Friday: Afternoon Keynote Speaker (Ann Hood)
Sunday: Final Thoughts

Weekly Update: 4-12-14

Spring break.  Ah, how I yearn for your arrival.  Five days of freedom, time to relax, time to catch up, time to admire the bouquet of newly bloomed flowers.  Such is the fantasy.

The reality is that I worked hard for five days, suffered from hay fever, and felt no closer to making my dent in my ever-growing To-Do List.  Sadly, this is the reality of most working vacations. 

My sister got married last Thursday at City Hall.  There was no fanfare, so I decided to create some in my own cheap way.  I made bouquets out of iris and lupine from my dad's garden, took wedding pictures on my digital camera, made white pies, and set out a reception spread using the knick-knacks around my parent's house. It was my way of showing support.  Congratulations Jaime and Paola!

Literary Orange yielded 12 pages of unruly notes, that I am in the process of putting together.  My Camp NaNoWriMo word count is just past 34,000.  I started, but didn't finish, Chapter 30 of my Coffin story.  I got a lecture from my dad about dragging my feet with self-publishing.  I had a meeting at the Brea Library's Writer Club.  I watched way too many crime proceedurals on T.V.

And that's my spring break.



Dissecting Fantasy: Objects, Part 2

Objects, Magical and Mundane

Part 2

How selective use of objects can enhance a fantasy (or non-fantasy) novel

Last time: We discussed the importance of choosing wisely which objects your characters should have access to and what sort of practical items can help in your character's survival

Sources: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins,  the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen

Objects in Identity

"For the opening ceremony, you're supposed to wear something that suggests your district's principal industry.  [...]  This means that coming from District 12, Peeta and I will be in some kind of coal miner's get-up.  Since the baggy miner's jumpsuits are not particularly becoming, our tributes usually end up in skimpy outfits with hats and headlamps.   One year, our tributes were stark naked and covered in black powder to represent coal dust.  It's always dreadful [...]."

--Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

I'm going to say three objects and you're going to tell me when and where the story takes place. Ready?

Spurs.  Revolver.  Star-shaped badge.

Obvious, right?  American West, circa 1880s.  The setting of many cowboy movies.
How about three more:

Katana sword.  Green powdered tea.  Silk kimono.

Feudal Japan.  Not hard at all.

But it shows the power of objects and cultural identity.  Say toga and we're in ancient Rome.  Nesting dolls sticks us in Russia.  Heck, even magical objects have cultural implications.  Flying carpets and magic lamps evoke pre-Islamic Saudi Arabia, while 7-league boots and deadly spindles plants us squarely in pre-industrial Europe.

These associations can help or hurt your story.  If you want to set your fantasy story in a specific time and the mention of even a few of these items will immediately paint a picture in the reader's minds.  Food, art, and technology, in particular, show the culture of a society.  Dried deer jerky versus cream puffs, marble statues versus ink scrolls, chariots versus steam trains--each thing very succinctly paints a picture of a time, a place, and a people.

On the other hand, if you want to create your own unique world without any cultural associations, objects can be a problem. How do you show readers that the world is different? There are three main strategies:

1. Mix-and-Match Objects

Let's see the reader try to place a character wearing a kimono, toting a six shooter, and standing near a marble statue.  That will teach the reader to form associations.  Unfortunately, it may also confuse her.

2. Create-Your-Own Objects

The splutok is a clay-based water holder with a rope handle and patterns of pre-Groteal artwork covering the surface.  By creating your own objects, you show the reader that the culture is not of this world.  Unfortunately, not only do you have to spend the time to invent this new object, you now have to slow down the story to explain it to the readers.

3. Intentionally Vague Objects

The girl sits on the comfortable sitting object, holds the writing object, and writes on a flat writing surface.  The less specific the object, the greater the chance of it being universal and thus not tied to a particular time and place.  But if your objects are too vague, the reader loses a lot of the imagery and thus the joy in the story.

Now, I realize my examples are all exaggerated and sort of ridiculous.  Hey, I like to have fun, too.  But I don't want you to think that these strategies don't work.  They do.  They just need to be employed with a deft and subtle hand.

For example, when you mix and match cultures, take into account the setting.  Fans make more sense in hot, muggy environments than in arctic ones.  A few strange, magical, and important objects show you're in a different world.  If the splutok is used in an important religious ceremony that will play a crucial role in the plot, the reader may be more inclined to read a long description.  Otherwise, opt for general objects: dress, chair, pen, soup, wine.  Oh sure, you can embellish them with adjectives.  The Artrukian silk dress, the famed plum wine of Chial.  As long as the readers can visualize the noun, you should be okay.

* * *

Thus far, I've been discussing objects in relation to cultural identity.  But it can also apply to the individual.

Now, I'm going to play the same "three object" game, but with people instead.  I want you to guess the name of the person based on some objects.  Tell me who has:

Glasses.  A magic wand.  An invisibility cloak.

Too easy?  How about:

A magic ring.  A glowing sword.  A (distinct lack of) pocket handkerchief.

Okay, so Harry Potter and Bilbo Baggins are famous, iconic fantasy figures.  Even so, you were able to guess them based on three objects, weren't you?

Why do we want to chose our own clothes?  Why do we want to decorate our house in the way we want?  Why do we take a glance at a person's clothes or nose through their house and draw certain conclusions about them?  Objects have power to reflect a person's identity.  Even objects chosen on a whim.  Wear dragonfly earring everyday and people will associate those earrings with you.

What does this mean for you?

It means that a few well-chosen objects can act as a shortcut to the character's identity.  A main character, of course, will have loads and loads of objects.  But a minor character with a single memorable object will also stick in people's minds.

* * *

Writing Prompt

Your hero roots through the corpses of his enemy for supplies.  All the enemy look the same--similar faces, similar clothing, similar supplies.  Then, suddenly, your hero opens an enemy's pack and finds a single object that makes him stop dead in his tracks.  When he sees this object, he realizes that his enemy was a real person, not some faceless monster.

What is this object?  Why does it affect your hero so much?

* * *

Magical Objects

"One day [a hobgoblin] was in a high state of delight because he had invented a mirror with this peculiarity, that every good and pretty thing reflected in it shrank away to almost nothing.  On the other hand, every bad and good-for-nothing thing stood out and looked its worst. [...] All the scholars in the demon's school [...] reported that [...] now for the first time it had become possible to see what the world and mankind were really like."

--Hans Christian Andersen, "The Snow Queen"

Admit it.  This was the part you were really interested in.

I hardly need to explain why magic is awesome.  It just is.  On the one hand, it can bring your every desire to life.  Things you can regain what you lost, you can do they impossible, you can master skills in a flash.

Things We Desire

• Power over Nature (water, fire, wind, lightning, earth)
• Power over People (having them like you, protection against harm or disloyalty)
• Power over the Supernatural (bringing the dead to life, speaking to ghosts, visions of the future)
• Mastery of a Particular Skill
• Wealth
• Transformation (controlled shapeshifting)
• Communication (telepathy, speaking to animals, speaking different languages)
• Youth and Rejuvenation
• Flying
• Invisibility
• Healing
• Knowledge
• Love

But on the other hand, magic can represent everything we fear, especially the things which are not necessarily solid or material.  It can manifest horrible losses, it can mar the soul, it can turn us into what we most hate.

Things We Fear

• Power (used against us)
• Loss of Loved Ones
• Loss of Identity
• Loss of Soul
• Loss of Freedom
• Loss of Respect
• Pain
• Poverty
• Sickness
• Deception
• Transformation (uncontrolled, monstrous)
• Ugliness/ Disability/ Age 
• Death

All this awesome power comes packed inside an ordinary, everyday item, usually something small enough to pick up.  Though the object can be anything, it usually comes fraught with some sort of symbolic power.  Things that bind, things that reflect, things that speak in some unconscious way to our soul.

Ordinary Objects

• Mirror
• Paper (books, scrolls)
• Clothes and Shoes (cape, belt, slippers, boots)
• Jewelry (rings, amulets, necklace, gemstones)
• Plants (dried herbs, nuts, mushrooms)
• Masks
• Cups, Bowls, Spoons
• Dolls 
• Game Pieces (dice, chess pieces, cards)
• Musical Instruments (pipe, drum, bell)
• Keys
• Weapons and Armor (sword, bow, shield, helmet)
• Candles and Lamps

Put the dread and desire of magic into one of these unassuming objects and you have the beginning of a story.

Just the beginning, of course.  Though the object may be fascinating in and of itself, what people really want to see is how the character uses the object, or, if he doesn't use it at all, why not?  The relationship between the character and the magical object may prove significant.  In order to develop it, ask yourself some of these question.

1. To begin with, how did your character get a hold of it?

Created it
Gift
Found it
Bought it
Earned it
Stole it
Traded for it
Other

2. Does he actually know what the object does?

Yes--completely
No, not at all
Thinks he does but is wrong
Knows some aspects of the magic but not the whole thing

3. Does it take any skill to master it?

Yes
No

4. Can only certain kinds of people use it?  (Pure-hearted, wizards, members of a certain bloodline, etc.)

Yes
No

5. Does the object have a limitation?

Yes--can only be used during certain times (full moon, before midnight)
Yes--limited quantity (only three wishes)
Yes--needs magic words/ rituals (must blow three kisses)
Yes--delicate/ can be broken
Yes--dependent on the physical/ mental/ spiritual state of person using it
Yes--other
No

6. Is there a cost to using it?

Yes--stated up front
Yes--hidden
No

7.  Is the object good or evil?

Good
Evil
Neutral

As you answer these questions, you should start to think of what kind of dilemma this object can cause the character.  Rarely is it satisfying for a magical item to swoop in and solve the character's problems.  There should be a conflict.

* * *

Now up until now, I've been treating the magical object as though it has a deep connection to the heart of the story.  But sometimes magical objects just pop up for convenient's sake.  Magic is like technology.  Sometimes we get airplanes and atomic bombs.  Other times we get velcro and flashlights.

Remember back in the survival section how I said you could use magic to cheat.  Well, here we are.

If you don't want your character lugging around 50 pounds of equipment and if you've created a world where magic is fairly common, you can use select magical objects to make the trip easier for him.  For example, a cloak that keeps your character dry no matter the weather.  A quiver that never runs out of arrows.  A piece of paper that automatically draws perfect maps.

The possibilities are endless.

Favorite Cheat Magical Objects

• Tables that always fill with food
• Purses that never run out of money
• Bread that fills your stomach with a single bite
• Boots that take you seven leagues with a single step
• Walnut shells that store ball gowns

The danger of cheat objects is that it creates what I like to call the RV paradox.  Sure, you can bring an RV into the woods, complete with T.V. and all the comforts of home, but at what point do we start to miss the point of going camping?  Magic can be a nice short cut every once in a while, but too many shortcuts and you suck out all the risk, struggle, and danger.

So when do you use magical cheats?  When the characters actually need them.

Look at The Hobbit versus The Lord of the Rings.  Bilbo didn't get magical lembas bread that filled his stomach with a single bite, because going on an adventure--being uncomfortable and hungry--was the whole point of the book.  Frodo, on the other hand, had to carry a magical ring that was corrupting his soul through an enemy war zone while being hunted by flying ghosts with poisonous swords.  Not starving to death along the way was the least they could do for him.

* * *

Writing Prompt

It's a dragon scale, or so your friend claims.  Blue and bold, with serrated edges, and large as your head.  After the knight killed the beast, your friend blunted three knives to pry it off.  On the dragon, the scale had been green, but once plucked, it turned a mystical blue.

"Proof," your friend says, "Of magic."

"All right," you reply, handing the scale back.  "It's magic. But what does it do?"

What does it do?  Finish the story.

Weekly Update: 4-4-14

The scariest thing about last Saturday's earthquake was coming to school on Monday to discover a huge crack in the corner of the wall.  Some parts were so deep, it looked like someone punched it.  For the first five minutes I was afraid to sit down, lest the building collapse on me.  Plaster on the floor and warped celing tiles did nothing to bolster my confidence.

Many of the students wanted to talk about the earthquake.  One girl said she'd been in the middle of a play, when it happened.  A boy had been performing on a prop bridge that got warped by the quake.  I asked about the overhanging lights, but she said they were secure.  Less secure were pipes in the backroom basement, where she was standing.  They started falling out of the ceiling.

The play, by the way, was an Elvis tribute called, "All Shook Up."  Appropriate, no?  

* * *

Aftershocks notwithstanding, it's been a pretty good week.  

Two of my short stories were published on Ether. 

Camp NaNoWriMo got started with a bang.  So far I've hit about 15,000 words--or two and a half chapters.  

Today Michelle's Abishag novel Indelible Beats goes on sale.

Tomorrow is Literary Orange.

Next week is Spring Break.

Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! And yay!

Friday Book Sale

I know what I'm going to spend my Amazon refund on.

My friend Michelle Knowlden's second Abishag mystery, Indelible Beats, goes on sale for 99 cents on Amazon tomorrow Friday, April 4th.  

Here's the summary:

Twenty-year-old college student Leslie Greene believes that dating a handsome lawyer is a fairy tale come true. Unfortunately, he demands her wardrobe be enchanting too.

Broke again, Leslie returns to her former job as an Abishag wife (temporary wives who comfort dying men). This time she chooses comatose artist Jordan Ippel, who is expected to die by Christmas in his La Jolla home.

Besides finding a forged painting and losing the cook, Leslie, her university housemates, and an old friend must unmask a killer to save the reputation of her husband. 

As one of Michelle's Beta Readers, I got a sneak peak at the book.  I thought it was even better than the first one.  And I loved the first one.

Along with Indelible Beats, twenty other ebooks go on sale for 99 cents tomorrow, from romance to fantasy and everywhere in between.  The complete list can be found on Michelle's blog:

http://mlknowlden.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/to-celebrate-my-dads-birthday-april-4th-99c-special-on-20-books/

Happy Reading Everyone! :)

Now on Ether: The Character Assassination of Julia Kaiser

Today I found out I got my third short story published on Ether.  I sent it in February in hopes that it would get published in March to fit with the theme.  Oh well.  It's less than 1500 words and free to download.

Link: http://catalog.etherbooks.com/products/3227

The Character Assassination of Julia Kaiser

Summary: “You can't be smart, pretty, and popular without making a few enemies.” A brief re-telling of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar from the perspective of high school girls.

Picture courtsey of Pinterest

Excerpt:

"They're out to get you."  The homeless man grips me by the shoulder and pushes his face close to mine.  "It's March," he wheezes.  “When the weather warms up, and the crows come out.  Can't you see their glittering eyes?  They accuse you.  Beware! Beware the eyes of March!"

"Thanks for the advice."  I push his hand off me.  "Here's a dollar for you trouble."

His gazes at me with bloodshot eyes.  "The eyes of March... the eyes of March."

"Creepy old man."  My cousin Otti shudders.

"He's harmless."

"He smells."  She kicks a rock.  "I hate walking."

"Oh, cheer up, Otti.  It's good exercise."

She scowls.  "I told you not to call me that in public."

Ottiviana has always hated her name.  She prefers her middle name—Summer.  Personally, I think she's too stoned-faced and serious to pull it off.

"We aren't in public yet," I say.  "Still a block to school."

"We wouldn't have to walk if you had your car.  That's twice in a month someone's trashed it," my cousin mutters.  "I swear, Julia, someone's out to get you."

How the Story Came to Be: The Brea's Library Writer's Club sponsored a contest which a March theme.  I wasn't feeling the Saint Patrick's Day connection, so when someone mentioned "the ides of March," I jumped on the Julius Caesar theme.  It started off all fun and games, with lots of bad puns and high school drama, but when it came time to "assassinate" Julia, that's when things got dark fast.

How to Use Ether

Ether or Ether Books is a free app available on the App Store (Apple) or Google Play

(Android).  You must have a smart phone or tablet to download the app.  After you download the app, you must create an account and sign in. 

Once you access Ether App, you can scroll down the list of new stories until you find mine.  Or you can go to the search button and type in either the title, “The Character Assassination of Julia Kaiser” or my name, “Rebecca Lang.”  It should take you to my story, which is free to download.  When you finish reading, you can rate it and/ or write a review.  Both would be appreciated.  J

If you want to know more about how to submit stories to Ether, see my article, “Publishing on Ether” or go to its website http://www.etherbooks.com/

Now on Ether: Second Chance

Recently, two more of my short stories got accepted and are now being offered free on Ether.  The first one is a deal with the devil story with twist called "Second Chance."  At less than 1,000 words, it's a quick and easy read. 

Link: http://catalog.etherbooks.com/products/3222

"Second Chance"

Summary: As rain drizzles down on soon-to-be-homeless Michael Jobeson, he sees a stranger holding ablack umbrella, smiling at him sympathetically. The stranger offers Michael donuts and a chance to change his life. But at what cost?

Photo courtsey of Pinterest

Excerpt:

It took twenty minutes to clean out his cubicle.  Now the contents of his life were lumped together in a cardboard box: a weekly planner with numbers running down the side, a stained coffee mug with the words "I Believe," a framed photograph taken in Guatemala some twenty years ago.  Rain drizzled onto a collection of chewed up pens.  Michael shoved the box into the trunk of his AMC Pacer and hunkered into the driver's seat.

Yesterday he'd been Michael Jobeson, telemarketer.  Today he was Michael Jobeson, unemployed.  And if he didn't find a way to pay off his debts, soon he'd be Michael Jobeson, homeless.  He rubbed his face with his hands.  How had it come to this?

Ether Reviewer Chris Jordan writes: "Great - cleverly done, gets straight to the point by showing only the outcomes, and nice twist too!"

How the Story Came to Be: I wrote this story as I was turning twenty-eight and dealing with the frustration of being stuck in a low-paying job.  Was all the time and sacrifice I put in to my writing really worth it?  This spilled over into a short story.

How to Use Ether

Ether or Ether Books is a free app available on the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android). You must have a smart phone or tablet to download the app.  After you download the app, you must create an account and sign in. 

Once you access your Ether app, you can scroll down the list of new stories until you find mine.  Or you can go to the search button and type in either the title, “Second Chance” or my name, “Rebecca Lang.”  It should take you to my story, which is free to download.  When you finish reading, you can rate it and/ or write a review.  Both would be appreciated.  J

                                                                                                               
If you want to know more about how to submit stories to Ether, see my article, “Publishing on Ether” or go to its website http://www.etherbooks.com/