Research info I’ve used or material that might be helpful to others. Includes many topics.
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While researching the solar eclipse happening in 2017, I discovered some fun facts. Here they are, in no particular order.
This video is from an app guide. Be sure to check out the website too. The link is below.
Tour the Great American Eclipse app guide from Michael Zeiler on Vimeo.
Watch this entertaining video about the solar eclipse, presented by Wired Magazine.
Are you planning to watch the eclipse? Will you be in the path of totality? I’d love to hear your story! Please share it in the comments.
Anyone could show anger when they are wronged. If someone steals from you, or cheats you, you’ll be furious, and rightfully so. But what if a character’s nature is to exhibit more anger than usual? This is often true of a villain, but anger can be a problem for heroes and heroines as well.
Anger often comes from environment. Hunger, abuse, neglect, poverty, unjust treatment, lack of freedom — all these can lead to anger. If you’re writing an angry character, here are some things to consider for their back-story.
While most of the time, we know quite well when we’re angry, that is not always the case. An angry character might not express anger out of fear of reprisal, or to keep from hurting someone. But they might lash out in passive ways. Here are several.
Often, people experiencing passive anger do not realize it (at least at first). Others might think the character is intentionally sabotaging himself. He may not able to explain his actions. He is “out of sorts” and grumpy.
In one of my earlier books, Pietas fits this bill perfectly, and he knows it. Here’s a quote by Pietas from the book Alitus. “What was that word you used last time? Oh yes, ‘fractious.’ What an entertaining word. ‘Likely to be troublesome.’ That was my favorite definition. It fits me, don’t you think? ‘Pietas tends to be fractious.’ A true statement. So, sister, you know I become ‘fractious’ when I’m annoyed. And you have annoyed me greatly today.”
When a character expresses anger aggressively, he is fully aware of what he’s feeling. There’s no wavering. That doesn’t mean they know the root cause of their fury. If an angry character isn’t aware of why he’s so angry, he might display the following:
An aggressively angry character has not learned how to recognize his triggers. He does not manage the symptoms of anger. What are those? That’s next.
If you have an angry character who has dealt with anger long-term, there are physical effects. While more than anger can cause the following symptoms, they are an indicator that something is wrong on a deeper level, beyond the physical.
To show your angry character struggling with life, add some of these symptoms in what may seem an unrelated area. Readers will pick up on these clues. This is one way to show, not tell. That being said, it’s not wrong to name the emotion, because your character may recognize it, or recognize what he thinks he’s feeling.
However, he might not realize that the emotion he’s feeling comes from a deep-seated anger. And if he does, he might think it’s with someone other than the true person who’s angered him. The emotion might be clear and distinct, but its root is not.
In this scene from Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire, the immortal Pietas is about to face his father. Though hardly a child (Pietas is 1900+ years old), that same feeling he’d experienced since youth dogs his steps. Pietas has ducked under a small waterfall to clean up before joining others. His human friend, Six, joins him.
Six waded into the pond, stuck a hand under the falls, screwed up his face, and stepped beneath the water. He sprang back out and danced around, shivering and swearing.
Pietas bit his lower lip to keep from laughing out loud. “That might have been the shortest shower in the history of mankind.”
“That’s freezing! How can you stand there with liquid ice pouring over you?”
“Discipline.”
“Yeah?” Six sloshed through the pool. “I figured out something. You Ultras are supposed to be genetically enhanced. You ask me, they packed more strength genes into you by yanking out the genes for hot, cold, and sleep.” He pulled off his shirt and wrung it out. Even in the lessening light, the teal dragon tattoo across his back showed. He put the shirt back on, muttering about ice water the entire time.
Pietas stayed under the numbing flow, wishing it had the power to numb his dread. He faced every fear, ignored every pain, refused to permit regret any place in his life. But dread? Dread dogged his steps. No matter how hard he fought, dread seeped into his life, insinuated itself under his skin, and muddied his decisions.
Dread soiled him.
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How have you used anger in a character’s arc? Leave a comment below.
Or, Why Elaine is a Bisexual Character in Changing Faces by Guest Author Barb Caffrey
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When Kayelle Allen and I talked about a guest blog in support of my new LGBT-friendly novel, Changing Faces, I wasn’t sure at first what to write. Then it hit me: Most people I’ve talked to, when they hear about my heroine, Elaine Foster, ask me, “Why must Elaine be bisexual when she’s already gender-fluid at the start of your book?”
There’s actually a good reason for that.
You see, my premise in Changing Faces is that people should learn to see souls. Not bodies. And that a transgender couple—in this case, one created by angels, ’cause it’s a fantasy—is most likely to learn to do this first. Because who they are on the inside doesn’t necessarily match who they are on the outside.
“But, Barb,” you protest. “You were going to talk about bisexuality. Why aren’t you?”
I’m getting to that. (Honest.)
It seemed to me when I first started writing Changing Faces, that Elaine had to be bisexual. She already could see souls, to a degree. She already knew how to measure the worth of a person beyond his or her face, and had dated both men and women.
That, in a nutshell, is what a bisexual person is.
Now, as to why she still couldn’t accept herself as gender-fluid easily? Well, as a society, we’re only beginning to learn about people who don’t always feel male or female. Sometimes they feel one way, sometimes another, maybe a third time they have a mix of both traits. Gender preference is not the same thing as sexuality; not by a mile.
So, Elaine has dated women and men. She sees the worth of a person and is not automatically attracted only to one sex. In a way, Elaine isn’t attracted by anyone, sexually. She’s only attracted mentally and emotionally, and then, much later, sex comes into the picture. But that’s not that strange, considering she’s a scholarly sort. She can see into a person, and evaluate who that person is, in a way most people don’t. She doesn’t even think to do this because how she views people is part of who she is.
Ultimately, love is love. Who you love is far more important than what gender your love happens to be. Seeing a person’s soul, seeing a person’s heart, seeing a person’s worth, is far more important than whether that person is straight, gay, bisexual, or Martian.
Elaine knows that.
That’s why I wrote Elaine in this particular way. As a bisexual character, she already had all these traits. So, why did I use a bisexual character? I realized that was who Elaine was. I codified the traits she already had, before I realized I could use a label most people would understand: the word “bisexual.”
In other words, the story demanded that Elaine be bisexual. So she is.
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3CQKWJ
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Barb Caffrey is a writer, editor, and musician who holds two degrees in Music. She has a particular fondness for the clarinet, lived in Nebraska for the better part of three years, and appreciated the ability to combine both her loves with the writing of Changing Faces.
Her other books are An Elfy on the Loose and A Little Elfy in Big Trouble (otherwise known as the Elfy duology), while her short stories have appeared in a number of places (most recently in Realms of Darkover). She’s also the co-writer of the Joey Maverick series of stories (with late husband Michael B. Caffrey), so the next story you might see from her could be military science fiction—or better yet, military science fiction with romance. She lives in Wisconsin.
Where to find Barb Caffrey
Website/Blog https://elfyverse.wordpress.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/BarbCaffrey
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/barb.caffrey.1
(Note from Kayelle: Barb has been my editor for three books now and if she’s willing, many more. FYI – she would probably object to the adverb “many” in the previous sentence. Just saying.)
Before we discuss popular PNR themes, let’s look at what PNR is. It’s also known as paranormal romance, which is a mix of romance and speculative fiction. It involves elements beyond scientific explanation and focuses on romantic love. On the MFRW (Marketing for Romance Writers) Yahoo Group and our Facebook page, this genre is discussed often. Here’s a look at categories and popular PNR themes.
Paranormal romance encompasses themes from fantasy, science fiction, horror, and speculative fiction subgenres such as urban fantasy, time travel, ghosts, witches, demons, vampires, were-creatures, and fairies (or fae). Although some say vampire romance is on its way out, the fascination for this subgenre is holding strong.
In romance, as in filmmaking, a broad trend seems to be extensions of pre-existing properties. In other words, books that revolve around a universe peopled with specific characters or locations. If you read series romance or you like trilogies and boxed sets, this is likely your favorite. Sequels and prequels are the order of the day. If one story set in a specific world is popular, chances are another one will be too. When an audience already knows the “rules” of the universe (i.e., whether vampires sparkle), they are set for the next story to unfold.
Many popular PNR themes offer glimpses of paranoia, fantasies of power, and stories based in parody or satire. The themes involve scenarios that pit “us against them” and showcase heroes/heroines who protect the family, tribe, or world from outside threats. There are also “love overcomes” themes in which the love between two people (romantic love and/or love of a sister for sister, mother for child, etc.) drives the story. Another popular type shows how banding together wins the day by pitting society or a tribe or family against an individual threat such as a monster or demon. Sometimes, these types of stories involve quests to obtain an item of importance or to complete a ritual.
One of the most enticing aspects of the paranormal romance realm is the forbidden. Falling in love with a blood-sucking vampire or a soul-sucking demon? Crazy! Or helping an otherworldly being defend those in this world? Scary! But that’s part of the charm.
Overemphasis on supernatural aspects
If the character’s abilities or supernatural gifts are the most important part of the story instead of the plot, there is little to hold the interest of the reader.
Unwarranted gore
Why must a story open with a scene of horrific death or torture? There are surely better ways to establish the evil and/or dangerous aspects of a monster or villain.
Saving the World – Again
If every story puts saving the world (or tribe or family, etc.) at stake, then the stake becomes commonplace. Ho hum, world saved. Check.
Mary Sues
The perfect character. Mary Sues have no faults, but many talents. They are usually princesses, princes, or the children of powerful beings who hold such titles.
That’s quite a list. What did I leave out? What genre bending books have you read (or written)? What are you currently reading? And what are your least liked aspects in a paranormal romance? Please share it in the comments. Like this post? You’re welcome to share it on social media.