Ask the Author: H.L. Bernabe
Answered Questions (6)
H.L. Bernabe
D&D. My husband had passed, and I missed gaming with him. So I joined a new group. During the campaign, I played a rogue tabaxi housecat variant (think female Puss 'n Boots, except fouler mouthed), and she was a hoot to play. Due to some ungodly lucky rolls, she seemed untouchable. Everyone else, game after game, had to survive death saving rolls, and Whipclaw didn't. Not until near the end of the campaign, and then, of course she lived. She was a little more humble after that.
I had an idea for a halfling chef who is on a quest to learn to cook foreign cuisine, when she suddenly develops powers. I love halflings, and the idea of discovering what it would be like to suddenly have the power to do magick seemed like it would be fun to explore. Floating hair, zapping things accidentally... But then the pandemic happened, the campaign ended, and the group disbanded, so I didn't get to play her.
I still needed that creative outlet that gaming gave me, and I still wanted the story with the halfling. She wouldn't shut up about it. She demanded to be written. So I did. And I loved Whipclaw so much, I wasn't ready to let her drift away into obscurity. So she became Paisley's talking, magickal cat friend.
The best part about all of this is that so much of my late husband ended up in the books. Gunur's cinnamon roll demeanor came from him. Paisley wanting to be a chef comes from him. Writing the series was cathartic.
I had an idea for a halfling chef who is on a quest to learn to cook foreign cuisine, when she suddenly develops powers. I love halflings, and the idea of discovering what it would be like to suddenly have the power to do magick seemed like it would be fun to explore. Floating hair, zapping things accidentally... But then the pandemic happened, the campaign ended, and the group disbanded, so I didn't get to play her.
I still needed that creative outlet that gaming gave me, and I still wanted the story with the halfling. She wouldn't shut up about it. She demanded to be written. So I did. And I loved Whipclaw so much, I wasn't ready to let her drift away into obscurity. So she became Paisley's talking, magickal cat friend.
The best part about all of this is that so much of my late husband ended up in the books. Gunur's cinnamon roll demeanor came from him. Paisley wanting to be a chef comes from him. Writing the series was cathartic.
H.L. Bernabe
A lot of things inspire me come from real life. For example, Paisley and her dwarf friends go through the forests in northwestern Erdea. The trees are so large, that the road goes right through the middle of one. I actually did something like that when I was a kid. My family and I traveled through the Redwood Forest and got to drive through a tree in my dad's enormous 70s tank-sized Caddy. Little details like that are scattered all through the book.
As for ideas for the stories themselves, sometimes they come from my dreams, or an article I read will trigger an idea. Back in the day of paper newspapers, I used to keep clippings of things that I found interesting. A road that kept burst into flame here in Oregon for no apparent reason. Mutant frogs being found in a watershed. Six trenchcoats being stolen from a sporting goods store. Things like that. I have a file folder filled with story ideas for the future. I also have a digital folder, as well, for things I've saved from internet discoveries. I'll probably never get to write 90% of them, but they're there in case I ever feel inspired to do something different.
As for ideas for the stories themselves, sometimes they come from my dreams, or an article I read will trigger an idea. Back in the day of paper newspapers, I used to keep clippings of things that I found interesting. A road that kept burst into flame here in Oregon for no apparent reason. Mutant frogs being found in a watershed. Six trenchcoats being stolen from a sporting goods store. Things like that. I have a file folder filled with story ideas for the future. I also have a digital folder, as well, for things I've saved from internet discoveries. I'll probably never get to write 90% of them, but they're there in case I ever feel inspired to do something different.
H.L. Bernabe
Oh, gosh. There are so many things that are great about it! I love the god-like power of creating worlds and holding the lives of the characters in the palms of my hands. Bwa ha ha ha!
Seriously, though, I really need a creative outlet. When I don't write or do some kind of storytelling, I start feeling really out of sorts. I bug the heck out of folks, telling stories to people about my life and my day. I'm always telling stories! Writing something I made up in my mind and watching it become a real book is SO satisfying.
The best part of it, though... The tears of joy my kiddo had when they held my book for the first time and they told me how proud of me they were. THAT, folks, is worth more than anything in the world.
Seriously, though, I really need a creative outlet. When I don't write or do some kind of storytelling, I start feeling really out of sorts. I bug the heck out of folks, telling stories to people about my life and my day. I'm always telling stories! Writing something I made up in my mind and watching it become a real book is SO satisfying.
The best part of it, though... The tears of joy my kiddo had when they held my book for the first time and they told me how proud of me they were. THAT, folks, is worth more than anything in the world.
H.L. Bernabe
The launch of Book One in my Dell Chronicles series. I have the first drafts written of the next two books, so that's next on my plate. Rewrite and edit those, and get them out into the world.
H.L. Bernabe
Find an author community. Surrounding yourself with creative people helps, especially if they know more than you do and have been published or have ran through the gamut of indie publishing. Learn from them, and develop a thick skin, because the criticism is of the writing, not YOU. The goal is to put out a good book, with an eye-catching cover in a market that you have researched and are prepared for. Author groups are invaluable when it comes to making that happen. Just make sure that the support goes both ways. Don't be a leech on other people without offering to help some way in return. Even if you are a brand new, baby writer, you can still help by scheduling and bringing cookies to events, or other things.
H.L. Bernabe
I have a couple of tricks. One is to go back and read what I've already written, and do some editing of that material. That often gets me into a creative mood, and I can write.
If I'm really struggling, however, a nice long car drive listening to nothing but my brain or going for a nice walk doing the same helps. Especially the walk. Both help me get my creative juices flowing. I record my thoughts on my phone, so that I can refer to my ideas later.
If I'm really struggling, however, a nice long car drive listening to nothing but my brain or going for a nice walk doing the same helps. Especially the walk. Both help me get my creative juices flowing. I record my thoughts on my phone, so that I can refer to my ideas later.
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