F.F. John's Blog

 

Here’s wishing you nothing but success in the new year!

Okay, this write-up is going to be brutally honest. The reason? I’m watching scripted programming in an effort to become a better storyteller.

As I’m currently working on a YA space opera, I’ve been binging on science fiction programming and books. As for programming, I’ve enjoyed Origin from Youtube Originals and you can read my thoughts here. Then there was Altered Carbon from Netflix. For books, I’ve read Empress of Thousand Skies, The Belles, and also Across The Universe.

As I’ve been watching Nightflyers (and believe me, I’ve watched and rewatched episodes) I’ve stumbled upon some lessons that I plan to keep in mind as I create stories for consumers. And to me, there is one main issue that I have with the series.

It seems to me that the writers/producers crafted a tale to hit certain metrics/expectations but never bothered to delve into the heart and soul of their story. Let me explain further, the story has these ‘moments’ that are supposed to either grab attention but they don’t truly add to the story. For instance, the show starts off with a lesbian plot line which seemed more for shock value than anything deep and worthwhile. Then, there’s the creepy domineering mother who created a dysfunctional relationship with her son. That trope is done twice in the series. First with (SPOILER ALERT) Cynthia and Roy Eris then with Thale (the psychic L1) and his therapist who by the way he dreams/has a vision of having sex with her. (Now this part was really unsettling for no good reason).

Remember I mentioned the Youtube show, Origin? Well that was some top-notch science fiction. It was a creeptastic scifi origin/alien introduction show. And it told a solid story while incorporating a wide cast of characters who were introduced to us so we had a good sense of who they were and what made them tick (all but one character, however).

Not so in Nightflyers which was a cheap attempt to scare viewers and it failed over after over again. The sets and wardrobe also looked cheap! Also, there were times when I was forced to rewind and replay dialogue in order to understand what was going on. I assure you that I am a mature enough consumer of programming whereby I should be able to make certain mental leaps in a story even where there are plot holes. Unfortunately I was mostly left lost by the episodes and rewatched them in a twisted effort to respect the legendary George R. R. Martin. I also wanted to support scifi programming which is all too rare nowadays.

I will say I liked the theme song and opening sequence. I have a thing for opening sequences. And by episode 8, there were a few plot twists that looked promising! Nevertheless, there was an overall lack of fluidity to the storytelling that was oftentimes jarring and served as a drawback.

And I was left with so many questions. Who is the Bee Lady? Where did she come from? What is her backstory?

I could go on and on with my list of complaints but I will mention that for whatever this show may have lacked, I tuned in to watch the next episode with dedication. I’m not sure if I’m just a sucker for scifi. And in conclusion, I’ll summarize that Nightflyers started off as a haunted ship scifi thriller that lost sight of what it was. It was chock-full of flawed characters – none I could root for. As I’ve written books that suffered from such malaise the one thing I would suggest as a possible cure for Nightflyers is that the writers/producers should have kept the main premise of this story at the heart of the series, returning to it often instead of seeking cheap thrills to hold the viewers attention.

That’s a lesson I plan to never forget and a mistake I hope to not repeat.

Today’s freebies are brought to you by author Alison Ingleby and her amazing The Wall Series. Check out –

Aleesha is an Outsider. If the government find her they’ll kill her. She’s learned to survive by being smart, manipulative, and trusting no one. She dreams of a life Inside, with the father she’s never known.

Trey is an Insider. On the run, he seeks sanctuary outside the Wall. But the world of the Outsiders is more desperate than he could have imagined. His only way out is to find out why he is being hunted.

Thrown together, Aleesha and Trey each make their own bargains to stay alive and discover the truth about their pasts. Tasked with an impossible mission, they must learn to work together if they hope to escape alive.

Get it for FREE! Read this then delve into the rest of the series!

Now, take a look at the books below!

Be sure to pick up your books today! Prices are subject to change!

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Look, I’m a bonafide geek. I’ll admit it. Specifically, I’m a sci fi geek. I just can’t help it. Give me a show with some solid science fiction themes and I’ll change my entire schedule to indulge.

With that in mind, I ended up binge watching on Origin from Youtube Premium all day on Saturday. And it was sooooooo good!

I’m not going to bother to share the premise but I am definitely going to share the story telling techniques I picked up from the series.

First, make the worst happen. This was a technique used in Star Trek Beyond. In Origin, the first series started off with a bang. A group of space ship passengers wake on an abandoned space ship only to learn it’s been attacked by an alien life form that’s killing people. And they’ve got to fins a way to stay alive and make it to their destination – a newly colonized planet. (Did I just say I wouldn’t tell the premise of this show? Oh and doesn’t that sorta remind you of Dark Matter on Syfy?) Everything that could go wrong, did!

It keeps the consumer on the edge of their seat with bated breath as they wait, hoping things turn around for the characters. Even the ones they don’t really identify with or care for.

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Second, create a false remedy. In Origin, the survivors think they’ve flushed out the passenger infected by the alien but…we soon learn that’s easier said than done.

There’s nothing like taking a sigh of relief only to find out you were mistaken to think things got better. In storytelling, such a head fake is great for waking up the consumer and making him/her pay more attention to the story. There’s nothing like shocking a reader/viewer IMO.

Third, slowly unroll the background stories of your characters. Never rush to tell the consumer who your main characters are. Show them in key instances where they display key aspects of their character. Then, slowly share their ‘origin story’ in bits and pieces. No info dumps though.

Origin did this masterfully. Practically each episode focused on the origin of a specific character and explained how they happened to be on the space ship. Understanding why they made those choices helped shine a light on each of them and made me feel closer to them in one way or another. Achieving that in books isn’t the easiest to do but by giving a little bit at a time, an author can avoid the dreaded infodump.

Fourth, drop another head fake in the last act of the story. Now, Origin did this so masterfully. I tend to drop additional bombs on my readers in the last few chapters of my books. In Origin, the producers did something reminiscent of the ending of Life which I discussed here. All show long, you think Planet Thea is the cast’s solution, but it isn’t.

Doing this provides another jolt in the arm to the consumer, forcing them to sit up and pay even more attention. It’s also a cue that ‘the end is nigh so listen up or you’ll miss something.’

Fifth, end on a cliffhanger. I know folks claim to not enjoy a cliffhanger but that can’t be true because when effectively utilized, cliffhangers whet a consumer’s appetite for the next installment of the story be it a book, a scripted show or a movie.

In Origin, the first season ends with a lot of resolution but some key questions that I, for one, can’t wait to see answered. So, Youtube, when’s season 2 coming?

If you’d like to watch Origin, check out episode 1 and 2 right here –

Have you watched Origin? Are you interested in doing so? Whatever the case, let me know what you think about the show and/or the #writinglessons shared above.

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It’s Turkey Day! Check out the following #giftips to get you through the day. You’ll be happy as a clam with energy to spare for Black Friday

Today’s freebies are courtesy of The Paladin, Book 2 of The Nome Chronicles.

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With half the world between them, can love still bring them together?

The difference in status between Neith and Invier prevents their marriage, and when Neith’s schemes to overcome that obstacle backfire, she ends up putting her entire family at risk. It’s no longer a game when all Neith’s enemies combine against her.

Invier, all alone, and on the other side of the world is running for his life. It’s not just his own head he’s worried about for there is danger lurking for the ones he loves.

Invier and Neith each have their own battle to be won. They ultimately must combine forces to have any chance. But, will they?

Purchase The Paladin today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple

And now, for the freebies!

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Do you remember the song from TLC – ‘What About Your Friends?’ I’ve been thinking about that song a lot recently because I’ve had the opportunity to spend some great time with my best friends. From a couple days in Trinidad with two girlfriends to a few more days with one of my oldest friends (who surprised me for my birthday), I’ve been blessed to enjoy some incredible people in my life.

Why am I thinking about friends so much right now? Well, I’m working on LegionFated, book 4 of the LegionBorn series, and I’ve gotten to a point where my main character and his one remaining best friend, Antonio, have a heart-to-heart. While I can’t spoil the story, I’ve learned a lot from the relationship between these two fictional characters. Friendship is such an important structure in human relationships. Who your friends are says so much about who you are and what you are capable of. I’m enjoying seeing how the relationship between Vaughn (the guy on the cover of the LegionBorn series) and Antonio develops.

I hope you’ll dial into the series to learn more about these characters. You’ll probably learn something new about you in the process.

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As I mentioned, my friend surprised me for my birthday. I was writing just as someone walked in and all I could do was scream in delight to see her. There’s nothing like seeing one of your oldest friends and getting to spend quality time with her. And as I’m in birthday mode, the visit was all the more sweeter. Nothing like becoming a year older with someone who’s known you forever, lol!

This birthday, I feel (and felt) a great gratitude for the opportunity to gain wisdom and become a better person. I’m happy for the steps I’m going to take to expand and improve myself as an author and my business. I’m excited that I’m going to gain more readers and book-friends as the months go by and I’m looking forward to this time next year when I’ll see the gains of planning, prayer and faith.

Whether or not you’ve got a birthday coming up, I hope you’ll be excited for what’s to come in your life and that of those you care about. Be optimistic and smile. Great things are on the way for you and me.

PS: Happy midterm election day!

 

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I never used to create new year resolutions for myself.  Somehow, it always seemed nonsensical. However as I get older, juggle my life as a mom, a wife and a small business owner (oh yes! Creating fantastical characters and incredible words for readers is a serious business. Just ask J. K. Rowling. It made her the richest woman in the UK in 2017!), I realize it’s essential to come up with a plan.

Oddly enough, it’s just like plotting out a story. Sure, I don’t have to create complex scenes where I highlight conflict between my characters. But just as I have to dive into my character’s fears, goals, needs and wants, I also have to do that for me.

And that’s the scary part. Having to confront your failures and successes isn’t always easy. You can’t dwell on one without sinking your teeth into the other.

In my case, I’d aimed to write 7-8 books in 2018. Instead, I wrote and published 4 books and contributed one short story to an anthology. So, technically, I added 5 new books to my catalog. Not bad, right?

Another goal was to make more than I did in 2017. I achieved that. Unfortunately, I didn’t earn more than I’d aimed for. So, this was a bit of a fail.

One thing I did manage to do is improve my story telling skills and writing. That took hours of reading fiction novels, books on the art of writing, watching movies and scripted programming (with a pen and notebook) and annoying everyone when I got a random aha moment and needed to capture it immediately. (Love you, guys!)

For 2019, I’m hoping to

create a schedule that avoids creative burnout;
increase personal health time;
increase personal wellness time;
create time for loved ones;
build and market my author business; and
expand my business beyond what it does now.All while staying sane.

And, I’d like to do all of these lovely things while staying sane!

So, as I ready to enter November, I’m going to focus on the goals listed above and figure out how to achieve them. I’ve already had a few conversations with some of my ‘champions’ – people in my life who always have great advice and offer excellent support. They’ve shared wisdom and it’s my turn to transform that into action plans that will make sure my author business and I do better in 2019 than 2018.

So, what about you? Have you started thinking about 2019? What plans do you have? Know how you’ll achieve them? Let me know.

PS: I’ve read about 53 books this year and plan to read another 7 before the year is out. Fingers crossed! Check out what I’m reading here!

Here’s a great book from the wonderful author, Devyn Jayse, called Supernatural Slayer.

Some people call me an assassin, I prefer the term bounty hunter.

In a world where magic is hidden from the general population, I’m hired to keep our secrets safe and take care of rogues by whatever means necessary.

When I accidentally targeted the wrong person, the Supernatural Bureau of Investigation offered me a deal — go to jail or work for them. Their first official request was to locate a vampire I thought I had killed over a year ago: my ex-boyfriend. Now I’m ordered to deliver him to them without harming a hair on his gorgeous head.

That was going to be a problem. By the time I find him, he’s going to wish he had stayed dead.

Supernatural Slayer is an action-packed urban fantasy romp through Barcelona with an assorted cast of witches, vampires, and shifters. It may also feature a snarky gargoyle or two.

“No human beings were harmed in the writing of this book — only supernaturals.”

It’s FREE in Amazon KU or $4.99. Get your copy today!

And now, for your freebies …

 

Note: Book prices are subject to change so gobble them up right now!

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