World Building

When i write a story i try to write "what i know". But when i've set a story in a city or country that i don't know much about, or have created from scratch!, then it requires some research and building.
For my Princess story i have created an island in the North Sea, close to England. I've researched the surrounding countries's history to get a sense of where they came from, how their culture and buildings etc were formed. I've searched about the sea, trade with these countries... It is endless.

With my Secrets and Lies story, i built a whole new fantasy world. I'd written and drawn maps, worked out seasons etc, researched herbs. But i've now decided to ground this story somewhere real, so have relied on history again. Doing research to find a good historical time to work in with my story. I've researched a place - the Hebrides. Now i have to do more extensive research of this place - seasons, climate, names, people etc.

My writer friend Nicole MacDonald created a world Gar'nyse for her BirthRight Trilogy. The things she's researched is incredible and she created names using a fantasy name generator. Her creatures are created from myths and her own ideas.

Kaily Hart has written a wonderful article about world building, Check it out Here!

How do you create your world for writing? And it doesn't have to be fantasy or historical as Kaily tells us.
Do you keep copious notes about your story? Your world?

Release and Author Interview - Nicole MacDonald

Welcome Nicole!

You must be super excited to have your final book in the Birth Right Trilogy, Feel the Burn finished and ready for readers to download!

I am! Also rather exhausted, I kind of feel like I did after finishing my last bout of exams at college - thrilled & terrified ;p

How long has it taken you to write the trilogy?

Around three and a half years. It's rather scary to write that down!

What are you going to do now that you have finished it? Do you think there will be a spinoff of other characters or do you have completely new stories in the works?

I don't know exactly yet, I have heaps of ideas but I think for the moment I might have a breather and enjoy just being a reader again! Of course, as I say that I'm noting ideas down *grin* but I'm not promising anything!!! (yet)

The Arrival, your first ebook is available in book form, is that right? Where can your readers purchase this?

Everywhere that ebooks are sold. Amazon/Smashwords/Sony/Kobo/iTunes/Barnes & Noble - the list is constantly updating! And of course the first book is available free almost everywhere.

How do you come up with the names for people and the places? How do you not get them all mixed up? You must have an extensive file with all the names on!

To create the names I often use friends/family names and just rearrange the letters. Leseach is an anagram of Chelsea and Nnelg is Glenn backwards. Other times I use a fantasy name generator to give me ideas. The name generator is great for ideas.

I don’t have a particular file system for the names, though I probably should. For me, because I’m so involved in the story in my head the names just make sense. I remember them all the same way I remember clients/workmates names – all through recognition of the characters. Occasionally I do need to flick through my current draft to check the spelling of a name (or that I haven’t overused certain letters, making the names look/sound too similar) and the note pad beside me bears the new names of characters for a little while. But no permanent file.

I think most of us know that you use method writing as you draft. In those scenes of intense emotion, how long does it take you come out of it after writing? Does it feel surreal when you're done for the day?

Depending on what scenes I’m working on at the time, I can stay partially submerged in the other world for days, even weeks. Especially when I’m working through the really intense scenes. It does feel surreal coming out of it, actually it feels bloody exhausting at times! I’m very grateful that Glenn can deal with the random mood swings so well *lol*.

I have noticed some similarities between characters with those in movies - have you drawn inspiration from movies such as Avatar and Lord of the Rings?

Everything inspires me – documentaries especially – so it’s not surprising that you see some similarities as those writers/directors also drew inspiration from nature. Earth has so many weird and wonderful creatures to give me ideas and I love drawing on the old legends and tales for inspiration – after all, they were inspired by nature too!

What has been the weirdest Earth creature that has inspired one in your story? What creature did you create from it?

In Jenviet’s castle in, Feel the Burn, Cat comes across bone crunchers. Those squat little creatures were inspired by Tasmanian devils  

Which old legends have particularly inspired you? Maori, Fae? Which has been your favourite?

The old Greek and Roman tales and the ancient Gaelic tales. I don’t have a particular favourite, I just love all the creatures they have in them!

Now i'm sure these questions are some that many new writers who are wanting to self publish would like to know:

Was it easy to self publish?

Yes and no. Technically anyone can do it and the process, while fiddly, isn't that hard. But so many other parts of it are intensely time/energy consuming. It can be a very rewarding hobby but also very frustrating.

Where did you find the artists for the covers? What was the cost for this?

Keary Taylor did my first two covers, and I bumped into her on my blog! She actually did my first cover for free (after seeing my dismal attempt *lol*) and then the second cover I paid for as she'd just started a cover business (and I TOTALLY recommend her!) The third cover was created by a fan of the books, Lisa Vella. I'd found a gorgeous picture I had intended to use for the cover but I couldn't find out who owned the rights to it. And naturally, I didn't want to risk any copyright issues. Lisa came to the rescue and created the cover to Feel the Burn from scratch!! I was stunned :) 

Have the profits you have received been more or less than you expected? (We don't need figures!)

Yes, more than expected. Considering there are over 1.5 million ebooks on Amazon alone, it's very exciting to be sitting in the top 10-15k. So while it isn't a full time income yet, it is a hobby that is starting to pay it's way. Although if you wanted to break it down into an hourly rate it would be very sad *lol* Writing for me, is very much a labour of love.

And that labour of love is available now!
Buy Feel the Burn here from Amazon.
And you can see Nicole's blog here

Continuing from the second book of the BirthRight Trilogy, Awakening, is the final installment—Feel the Burn.

The battle to save Gar’nyse is upon them and already the costs are insurmountable.
With no other option but to knowingly sail into a trap, the girls, the Griffon Guard, and the gathered forces set forth to reach the castle and destroy Jenviet. However the loss of Alek means the task sits fully on the four girls’ shoulders and with only one of them at their full Elemental abilities, the risk of death, or worse— failure—is high. Now with nothing to lose, Catherine refuses to link with the other girls, hoping that she alone will be able to take Jenviet. But the malevolent Sorceress of Vo’Arum has other plans…

Would you pass up a free book?

No?
Well neither are hundreds of other people!
The Arrival by Nicole MacDonald is FREE on amazon in kindle!
If you were unsure if you wanted to buy it before, now is your chance to get it for free - nothing lost, if it's not your thing. But, i can tell you that you will enjoy it!

The Blurb:

Cat, Kassie, Sian and Loi are anything but damsels in distress.  Fed up with a lack of decent male specimens they cast a love spell in the hopes of finding their soul-mates. And inadvertently land themselves on another planet. Oops.

The Arrival, follows the girls' adventures as they stumble through a foreign and often hostile world where humans are NOT at the top of the food chain. Friendships are forged and love teeters on the horizon while the threat of civil war looms thanks to the girls' very unexpected 'gifts'.  Will the girls master these gifts in time to survive a war in which, not only are they the ultimate weapons, but also the ultimate prize.

Go on! Grab your copy today, and don't forget to help Nicole out by posting a review on Amazon, or drop by her blog and tell her your thoughts!

And, if you like it, you will be pleased to know Nicole has nearly finished her first draft of the sequel The Awakening!

The Arrival, only 99c

Yeah i'm promoting my friends book for two reasons:
1. It's a really great story!
and 2. I want to win the chocolate from her competition!

Cat, Kassie, Sian and Loi are anything but damsels in distress.  Fed up with a lack of decent male specimens they cast a love spell in the hopes of finding their soul-mates. And inadvertently land themselves on another planet. Oops.

The Arrival, follows the girls' adventures as they stumble through a foreign and often hostile world where humans are NOT at the top of the food chain. Friendships are forged and love teeters on the horizon while the threat of civil war looms thanks to the girls' very unexpected 'gifts'.  Will the girls master these gifts in time to survive a war in which, not only are they the ultimate weapons, but also the ultimate prize.

Click on the image in my left side bar to be taken directly to the Amazon for kindle page! Or click on the image in this post.

Get The Arrival At cut price!

Wow, this is not to be beaten!!
Four girls, sick of the lack of men in their lives cast a spell and it propels them to another world...to their destinies and soul mates? Buy it at the bargain price of 99c!!

Click the image below to get it from Amazon on kindle.

At 0.99c it's a steal!

And a really good story - no i'm not biased!
Take advantage to the temporary price drop and discover a new voice!

go to Amazon and type the arrive birthright trilogy.

Happy New Year!

Well, i'm a bit early! But i've just gotten back from holiday in Taupo and will probably be busy come new years' so i'll do it early :)

Also i would like to take the opportunity to congratulate my friend and fellow writer Nicole MacDonald on being a newly published author! That's right, her book The Arrival (BirthRight Trilogy) is available now on Amazon.com for the kindle!
CONGRATULATIONS!

Now, an intro:

The Arrival starts with a love spell, cast to find friends each a soul mate. It works...but no the way the girls anticipated.
Thrown into a different world, in a different time, they encounter danger and near death, having to fight for their lives before they even know where they are. Holding their own, barely, until a group of Griffons arrive bearing their soul mates.


And now, my review :)

Nicole has a unique writing voice and style. You will enjoy reading from the viewpoint of many of the characters within the story which brings a richness and fullness to complete your reading experience. 
It has rich and descriptive detail, various points of view, conflicts, bloodcurdling battles, magic, fantastical creatures and a subtle layer of sexual tension to keep you going to the very end....where you realise you just HAVE to have the next installment.
Gripping and emotive, this story will leave you begging for more and thinking about it long after you have finished reading.
Go buy it now, experience the magic of Nicole MacDonald!

Method Writing

My friend, Nicole MacDonald, has written a fabulous post on her blog, Damsel in a Dirty Dress about Method Writing and it must have gotten my brain firing.

I was making my bed this afternoon - yes afternoon - we've had a busy day!! And there i was talking out loud as my character Billie! Laughing and grinning talking to my sister (her sister) about going on a date with Cooper!

So i quickly finished the bed and jumped on the computer and typed up the scene. It is the first words i have written in four weeks due to the editing i am doing, and it feels fantastic to be back into it!

I am going to try to do it everyday whilst still editing Nicole's story. Which is going to be hard due to it now being school holidays. Ah the joys of being a parent!

Do you method write?