I’ve been reading a fair bit of fantasy fiction these days (for several years, actually), partly because I love the genre but also because I’m looking for up-to-date publications to compare with my novel when I begin querying agents. The agents whose podcasts I’ve watched say that the ability to compare your book with other well-known novels (or even a movie) is an important component of query letters.
Through all this reading, I’ve noticed a common practice in the fantasy genre, and not just for world-building trilogies, but in urban fantasies. It’s where the author leaves major plotlines unresolved and on a cliffhanger that forces the reader to pick up the second installment to see how it ends.
A classic example of this is in a book I read a couple of weeks ago by Kat Ross, called The Fourth Talisman. I’ve read two of Ross’s novels before and loved them. This book, however, left the main plot unresolved, which was so annoying that I’m unlikely to pick up the second book.
I certainly don’t need or expect all plotlines to be resolved in each book in a series, especially in epic fantasies. Happily ever after tied up in a neat package isn’t always—and doesn’t need to be—the endgame in fiction.
I realize that this is a matter of personal taste and we all have preferences when it comes to endings, so I’d love to know what you all think. Does it bother you if the main plot isn’t resolved at the end of book one, or are you okay with it and likely to buy the second installment to see how a story ends? Note, that I’m speaking mainly of fantasies here. Mysteries, romance, and westerns tend to have different ways of ending a novel.
Meanwhile, I’ve been working diligently on this final draft of my urban fantasy. As you can see from the photo, I’ve been printing out the double-spaced pages and then reading every word aloud to catch awkward sentences, repetition, and typos. It’s a slow process but it’s helped a great deal. The manuscript in the photo is approximately 87,000 words and there are still nine short chapters to print, but this gives you a glimpse of the work that is involved.
Although this is draft #10, the work likely isn’t over. The manuscript is as good as it can be to submit, but if I’m lucky enough to find an agent, there will be more changes to make. That’s the reality of this business: editing and more editing until one day it’s finally ready for readers. I look forward to that day.
Last week was officially Freedom to Read Week in Canada. I’m a bit late to the party. On the other hand, every week is freedom to read week for me. As the organization’s website says, this event “encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom”, and I so agree.
We are living in an age where more people and governments want to stop others from reading certain books and, dare I say, thinking certain thoughts, let alone living the lives they choose. According to the info I read on the website, 8% of the challenges were related to pro-LGBTQIA2S+ content five years ago. The percentage is now 38%. Take from that what you will:
After reviewing the list of challenged books over the decades. I was surprised to see Doctor Zhivago among them. Now, I’m not saying that these books have been banned. Nor would I personally read all of them, but I wouldn’t try to stop someone else from reading material that is not to my taste. Freedom is about being able to choose.
Penguin Random House published their own list of banned and frequently challenged books, which included The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Such is My Beloved by Morley Callaghan, Barometer Rising by Hugh McLennan, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, The Wars by Timothy Findley, The Diviners by Margaret Laurence, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and many more which you can find HERE.
You know what’s so ironic? When I was in high school many years ago, at least half of those books were either required or recommended reading in the curriculum. Today, I heard that To Kill a Mocking Bird—one of my favorite books in the world—will be removed from the school curriculum here in British Columbia. We do live in a different time, don’t we?
Don’t let anyone stop you from reading, or writing, whatever you want. Authors already self-censor enough to satisfy publishers and readers. These days, it feels like things are being taken to a new, somewhat extreme level, and negative, hurtful extremism, in any form, worries me.
Almost daily, I receive invitations to attend free seminars and workshops focused on writing and marketing. Last week, a timely topic cropped up through a workshop called 3 Keys to Pitching, hosted by Jane Friedman (a familiar name in the writing community). Her guest was literary agent, Lucinda Halpern, who had some great tips on pitching to agents. She’s written a how-to book on the subject called Get Signed and has a website: www.getsignedbook.com
Since I’ve decided to pitch my urban fantasy rather than self-publish, I attended the hour-long workshop and found it helpful. I also found it good to know that my query letter is on the right track, thanks to the helpful feedback I’ve already received from others. But here are a couple of questions that made me stop and think. Lucinda suggested asking ourselves “What is Your Big Idea?” and “What do you serve for a reader?”
Basically, the big idea is about defining what the book is about in a couple of sentences, and what makes my book different from others. The second question really required some deep thinking. Lucinda sells a lot of nonfiction, but she feels that the question also applies to fiction. So, I’ve been asking myself if this story is merely escapist entertainment or is it more than that? Is there a message and/or a theme that will resonate with readers and give them something to think about? Will the message sufficiently entice an agent to submit it to publishers? Food for thought, isn’t it?
The books that have stuck with me the most lately offered unique takes on familiar themes. I’m thinking of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, where the protagonist is trying to make a living as a writer and doing whatever it takes to get there. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is a story of a woman trying to succeed in a man’s world in the 1960s, but in her own determined way as an aspiring chemist.
An author’s voice and the topics they write about, their experiences and passions all make their writing unique. But will that uniqueness resonate with others? Is it marketable? These are the questions agents ask themselves, and it’s not a bad idea to keep that in mind if you’re hoping to land a contract with a traditional publisher.
On a personal note, my sister’s surgery went well and the mass on her ovary was benign. Yay for that! My spouse and I were sick for several days in February, then got well and wound up babysitting little Abby all last week due to a persistent fever. This week Ellie’s come down with a fever, so back to helping out.
We went for a walk on Monday and I snapped a photo of the first crocuses in our wild, wintry yard. Today, more have appeared. Spring is just around the corner, and I can’t wait! It’s been quite damp and grey in Vancouver recently (today’s better), but with any luck we’ll get to Porta Vallarta in about eleven months from now. Fingers crossed. 😊
Welcome to July, possibly my favorite month of the year. Here in Canada, we celebrated Canada’s 156 birthday on July 1st and since this is July 4th, Happy Independence Day to my American friends, colleagues, and readers. I hope it’s a great one for you.
As many of you know, this past spring was one of the most hectic periods of my life. While things have slowed down considerably, there are a couple of final tasks ahead. The new owners of our Port Moody come take possession of the place next week, which means handing over keys, a lawyer’s appointment and final cleaning. On the health front, I have one more CT scan coming up next week as the surgeon wants to ensure all of the mass in my chest was removed. While a CT scan isn’t horribly invasive, I hope this will be the last test for some time.
Meanwhile, we have more new plants appearing on our Ladner property. The previous owners clearly put a lot of thought into having various plants bloom one after the other, starting back with the crocuses in April.
On the writing front, I’ve spent the last few days converting my ebooks into print versions through Draft2Digital. D2D will make them available through Ingram Sparks, Amazon, and other sources, which is fabulous since I never could get the four book covers (from my publisher) to meet Amazon’s guidelines.
This hasn’t been a problem with D2D, although I need to have two of the later covers adjusted slightly by my jacket designer. It’s good to know that American readers can now request the books through their libraries. Next up, I’m finally going to start the process of converting to my series into audiobooks, again through Draft2Digital.
I always have more energy to tackle these tasks in summer, another reason for loving this month. The extra light and warmth also makes reading outside in the evening possible, and that’s another favorite summer activity. How about you? Do you feel energized with your reading and writing in the summer, or is it more difficult because of all the fun distractions available?
I have a special bookcase in my office that contains four shelves and glass doors. It’s where I keep old editions of books purchased when I lived in England in 1979. I also keep signed copies of books from authors I’ve met over the years. Some I know fairly well. Others I meet briefly at mystery conferences ages ago and now don’t remember their faces.
This week, I decided to tackle that special collection. It’s been a perplexing challenge at times. I’ve found myself placing some of the books on the pile that won’t be moving with me. A few hours later, I put a handful back into the bookcase. There are books I didn’t think I’d part with a couple of days ago, but I’ve now changed my mind.
I’m looking at two criteria for discarding all of my books, signed or not. First, do these stories still resonate with me in some way and, second, is the print still readable for my aging eyes? Some of the older paperbacks have an incredibly small font size.
As you’ll see from the photo, I’m giving away my set of Crime and Punishment: A Pictorial Encyclopedia on Aberrant Behavior. The content isn’t extensive and was purchased about the time I enrolled in the criminology program at college. There are lots of gruesome photographs in it, though, including the Lizzie Borden crime scene, among others.
This bookcase contains books that will not be moving with me. The top shelf contains signed copies of mysteries/thrillers and half of the shelf below contain signed copies of other genres and nonfiction.
Among my unsigned collection, I’m keeping The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico, Rebecca, Brideshead Revisited, three of Maya Angelou’s books, all of Sue Grafton’s, and P.D. James’ books, a short story collection by Raymond Carver, and several others. It’s comforting to know that I still have many great books on hand 😊
On the promotion front, I was thrilled to be interviewed by the wonderful mystery author and artist, Joanna Van Der Flugt. We caught up after sixteen months, and the theme of our talk was transition. Joanna also went through a major move last year and she too is a mystery author who’s delving into other genres. If you’re interested in this hour-long broadcast you can find it HERE.
It’s been a pleasure to host prehistoric fiction author Jacqui Murray in the past, and I’m thrilled that she’s back with the release of her latest novel, Natural Selection, which is book #3 in her Dawn of Humanity series. I’m currently reading the first in this trilogy, Born in a TreacherousTime and enjoying it immensely.
Here’s a quick summary of Natural Selection:
In this conclusion to Lucy’s journey, she and her tribe leave their good home to rescue former-tribe members captured by the enemy. Lucy’s tribe includes a mix of species–a Canis, a Homotherium, and different iterations of early man. In this book, more join and some die, but that is the nature of prehistoric life, where survival depends on a combination of our developing intellect and our inexhaustible will to live. Each species brings unique skills to this task. Based on true events.
Set 1.8 million years ago in Africa, Lucy and her tribe struggle against the harsh reality of a world ruled by nature, where predators stalk them and a violent new species of man threatens to destroy their world. Only by changing can they prevail. If you ever wondered how earliest man survived but couldn’t get through the academic discussions, this book is for you. Prepare to see this violent and beautiful world in a way you never imagined.
A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!
The Canis’ packmates were all dead, each crumpled in a smeared puddle of blood, Upright killing sticks embedded where they should never be. His body shook, but he remembered his training. The killers’ scent filled the air. If they saw him—heard him—they would come for him, too, and he must survive. He was the last of his pack.
He padded quietly through the bodies, paused at his mate, broken, eyes open, tongue out, pup under her chest, his head crushed. A moan slipped from his muzzle and spread around him. He swallowed what remained in his mouth. Without a pack, silence was his only protection. He knew to be quiet, but today, now, failed.
To his horror, a departing Upright looked back, face covered in Canis blood, meaty shreds dripping from his mouth, the body of a dead pup slung over his shoulder. The Canis sank into the brittle grass and froze. The Upright scanned the massacre, saw the Canis’ lifeless body, thought him dead like the rest of the decimated pack. Satisfied, he turned away and rushed after his departing tribe. The Canis waited until the Upright was out of sight before cautiously rising and backing away from the onslaught, eyes on the vanished predators in case they changed their minds.
And fell.
He had planned to descend into the gully behind him. Sun’s shadows were already covering it in darkness which would hide him for the night, but he had gauged his position wrong. Suddenly, earth disappeared beneath his huge paws. He tried to scrabble to solid ground, but his weight and size worked against him and he tumbled down the steep slope. The loose gravel made gripping impossible, but he dug his claws in anyway, whining once when his shoulder slammed into a rock, and again when his head bounced off a tree stump. Pain tore through his ear as flesh ripped, dangling in shreds as it slapped the ground. He kept his legs as close as possible to his body and head tucked, thankful this hill ended in a flat field, not a river.
Or a cliff.
When it finally leveled out, he scrambled to his paws, managed to ignore the white-hot spikes shrieking through his head as he spread his legs wide. Blood wafted across his muzzle. He didn’t realize it was his until the tart globs dripped down his face and plopped to the ground beneath his quaking chest. The injured animal odor, raw flesh and fresh blood, drew predators. In a pack, his mate would purge it by licking the wound. She would pronounce him Ragged-ear, the survivor.
Ragged-ear is a strong name. A good one.
He panted, tail sweeping side to side, and his indomitable spirit re-emerged.
Except, maybe, the female called White-streak. She often traveled alone, even when told not to. If she was away during the raid, she may have escaped. He would find her. Together, they would start over.
Ragged-ear shook, dislodging the grit and twigs from his now-grungy fur. That done, he sniffed out White-streak’s odor, discovered she had also descended here. His injuries forced him to limp and blood dripping from his tattered ear obstructed his sight. He stumbled trying to leap over a crack and fell into the fissure. Fire shot through his shoulder, exploded up his neck and down his chest. Normally, that jump was easy. He clambered up its crumbling far wall, breaking several of his yellowed claws.
All of that he ignored because it didn’t matter to his goal.
Daylight came and went as he followed White-streak, out of a forest onto dry savannah that was nothing like his homeland.
Why did she go here?
He embraced the tenderness that pulsed throughout his usually-limber body. It kept him angry and that made him vicious. He picked his way across streams stepping carefully on smooth stones, their damp surfaces slippery from the recent heavy rain, ignoring whoever hammered with a sharp rock inside his head. His thinking was fuzzy, but he didn’t slow. Survival was more important than comfort, or rest.
Ragged-ear stopped abruptly, nose up, sniffing. What had alerted him? Chest pounding, breathing shallow, he studied the forest that blocked his path, seeking anything that shouldn’t be there.
But the throbbing in his head made him miss Megantereon.
Ragged-ear padded forward, slowly, toward the first tree, leaving only the lightest of trails, the voice of Mother in his head.
Yes, your fur color matches the dry stalks, but the grass sways when you move. That gives away your location so always pay attention.
His hackles stiffened and he snarled, out of instinct, not because he saw Megantereon. Its shadowy hiding place was too dark for Ragged-ear’s still-fuzzy thinking. The She-cat should have waited for Ragged-ear to come closer, but she was hungry, or eager, or some other reason, and sprang. Her distance gave the Canis time to back pedal, protecting his soft underbelly from her attack. Ragged-ear was expert at escaping, but his stomach spasmed and he lurched to a stop with a yowl of pain. Megantereon’s next leap would land her on Ragged-ear, but to the Canis’ surprise, the She-cat staggered to a stop, and then howled.
While she had been stalking Ragged-ear, a giant Snake had been stalking her. When she prepared her death leap, Snake dropped to her back and began to wrap itself around her chest. With massive coils the size of Megantereon’s leg, trying to squirm away did no good.
Ragged-ear tried to run, but his legs buckled. Megantereon didn’t care because she now fought a rival that always won. The She-cat’s wails grew softer and then silent. Ragged-ear tasted her death as he dragged himself into a hole at the base of an old tree, as far as possible from scavengers who would be drawn to the feast.
He awoke with Sun’s light, tried to stand, but his legs again folded. Ragged-ear remained in the hole, eyes closed, curled around himself to protect his vulnerable stomach, his tail tickling his nose, comforting.
He survived the Upright’s assault because they deemed him dead. He would not allow them to be right.
Sun came and went. Ragged-ear consumed anything he could find, even eggs, offal, and long-dead carcasses his pack normally avoided. His legs improved until he could chase rats, fat round ground birds, and moles, a welcome addition to his diet. Sometimes, he vomited what he ate and swallowed it again. The day came he once again set out after what remained of his pack, his pace more sluggish than prior to the attack, but quick enough for safety.
Ragged-ear picked up the female’s scent again and tracked her to another den. He slept there for the night and repeated his hunt the next day and the next. When he couldn’t find her trace, instinct drove him and memories of the dying howls of his pack, from the adults who trusted their Alpha Ragged-ear to protect them to the whelps who didn’t understand the presence of evil in their bright world.
Everywhere he traveled, when he crossed paths with an Upright, it was their final battle.
Jacqui’s Bio:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.
Hi everyone, today I’m visiting fellow BC Writer, Wendy Hawkin, where I answer the question, where did Eduardo come from and what was the inspiration for this book? Find out HERE
By the way, Wendy writes terrific fantasy/mysteries with some pretty amazing characters! Please check out her books while you’re there 🙂
Summer’s here and many fun events are returning to British Columbia. I’ve just finished facilitating an 11-week long spring session of the creative writing program offered in our city. The group was small, but I’d still been a little worried about exposure to Covid. Hospitalization rate were still fairly high in April but have been going down since then. Happily, the rec center gave us a large room in a quiet part of the building, so we felt safe. One of my students came down with Covid and was away for one week, but no one else was impacted.
As I write this, my daughter’s place of employment currently has about ten percent of their staff sick with Covid, after having been encouraged to return to work. As you can imagine, those who work in a common area are the ones who are sick. Those who have their own offices are so far staying healthy. Still, ten percent is a lot.
The cautionary tales I’ve been hearing from medical experts tells me that it’s probably still a good idea to wear my mask in public indoor places. Like many of you, I’m also eager to get back to socializing, especially when it comes to writing events. I turned down two invitations to indoor book launches this spring. I had no idea how many people would attend, how large the venue was, or whether the room was well ventilated. Generally, I don’t feel particularly anxious about most things, when you’re babysitting a two-year-old most weekdays it seems wise to be cautious.
Having said that, I’m attending two outdoor events this week. One is a BBQ with my old employer at Simon Fraser University. Since 97% of the university’s population is vaccinated, I figure it should be okay, although I’ll keep my hand sanitizer close by.
I’m also a vendor at an outdoor mini-craft fair at the TownShip7 Winery this Sunday. This is one of my favourite venues, as the event has musical entertainment and the artisans will be spread apart. Wine tasting, bookselling, and music in a vineyard is a wonderful way to spend the day. The event is also fundraising for the Osteoporosis Society. I know that some of you live in the Lower Mainland, so if you have some time and enjoy wine tasting, this is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy what will be a bright, sunny day.
I’ll be participating in another Art on the Vine event in late August and also selling books at a local Farmer’s Market on Thursday July 14th. So, yes, I’m socializing more, but honestly, I’ll be taking precautions.
For those of you who are looking for more free crime fiction reads, I’m taking part in another BookFunnel offering until the end of June. This is the Women Solve Crime Mystery Giveaway and a good number of the 30+ offerings are cozies, which make great beach reads. The link HERE.
How about you? Are you over Covid anxiety and attending events this summer, or are you still a little anxious?
I’ve been catching up on reading these past few weeks. So far, I’ve read 20 books this year, which is five books behind my normal schedule. But whenever I’m staying over at my daughter’s for babysitting duties, the evenings are spent catching up on blogs, newsletters, and books.
The eclectic mix of genres have been truly enjoyable reads. Two of the crime fiction authors, J.T. Siemens and Winona Kent, were guest bloggers earlier this spring, but I want to mention them again as they’re excellent writers who deserve more attention.
To Those Who Killed Me by J.T. Siemens, is a gritty, noir mystery that reveals the darker side of Vancouver. J.T.’s Instagram account shows interesting black-and-white photos of some of the actual venues mentioned in his book. The photos beautifully capture the book’s noir feel.
Ticket to Ride by Winona Kent is a delightful amateur sleuth-based mystery set in England, featuring musician and new private detective Jason Davey. I love Winona’s descriptions and the way she incorporates family dynamics into her stories. There’s a lot of heart in her books as well as terrific storytelling.
Silver Bells by C.J. Hunt, is a heartwarming Christmas romance. It’s also a novella that you can read quickly. The romantic scenes are nicely written and the book’s contemporary concepts about a single dad trying to run his business and a woman who’s sold her startup company and is rethinking career options are relatable topics.
Given all the cold, rainy weather in my area last month, it seemed only natural to read another Christmas novella. Crimson Frost by J.P. McLean is a suspenseful supernatural story. Given that the protagonist is only 19, it likely falls into the YA category, but this is a riveting story for all ages at any time of year. Grief, turbulence, and the supernatural elements added to the enjoyment for me.
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang is an amazing historical fiction novel set in China in 1937. The Japanese have invaded the country and the university students are forced to flee by undertaking a 1,000 mile trek to safety in the country’s interior. What struck me was the exceptional writing and the way Janie incorporates mythical fantasy with reality. The story is based on her father’s real-life experience. Absolutely riveting.
Last but not least, is the romantic suspense story Lure by W.L. Hawkin. To me, this book raises the bar by incorporating exquisite writing with real-life tragedy centered around missing Indigenous women, a topic that has a troubling, longstanding history here in British Columbia. Wendy adds layers to the story by adding a mystery whodunit and a haunting, spiritual component. It’s one of those stories that’s stayed with me.
That’s it so far. I’ve read a number of nonfiction titles related to writing but I hope to explore many other topics this year.
Before I launch into today’s topics, I want to say that Canadian Independent Bookstore Day last Saturday was a great success for our local store, Western Sky Books. This was their best event ever, and it was heartwarming to see supporters come out in droves. It was great fun to see a number of writers I hadn’t seen in person in more than two years, and one author I hadn’t seen in a decade!
So, here we are in May, one of my favorite months of the year. The weather’s warming slowly although there’s still a fair bit of rain and cloud hovering over BC’s lower mainland these days. Flowers are blooming, albeit slower than last year. Since I was married in mid-May nearly 34 years ago and our family always celebrates Mother’s Day, it’s a special month.
This weekend, I’m offering great deals on most of the titles in my 6-book Casey Holland series this weekend, which ends on May 9th. You can find the link to the entire series with just one click HERE. By clicking on that page, you’ll see that the combined price for all the books is under $10.
I’m also taking part in two BookFunnel events offering free mystery ebooks all month. One is the Leading Ladies of Mystery giveaway featuring female lead characters. The link is HERE.
The other offer focuses on mystery and suspense titles, with either male or female protagonists, which you can find HERE.
So, please take advantage of these opportunities. Summer’s coming and it’s time to load up your devices with new books as you prepare for holidays or at least a little more downtime. Couldn’t we all use some R & R and escapes into great fiction?
Mystery Deb 