Sarah Walker's Blog

I love Ilona Andrews. They have a great website www.ilona-andrews.com, and a great series of Top Sellers...all of which need a read. Might I suggest Steel's Edge, their latest jewel? Yes, with delight, I do.

Now, our final five Questions for 2012.

11. What are your current projects?
In the Action Phase, I have Grave Decisions out for Christmas. Monsters by the Sea will hopefully finish up the YA series for Maggie sometime in February or March. In the Creation Phase, I am re-vamping an adult epic fantasy romance with a new world, new characters, new plots and new thematic stuff. Whew! It's going to be a wild ride. I write in series, so, books one, two, and three are complete (First draft). I hope to have the final book finished by March so I can begin re-writes on the First one: 'Once upon a Time' (look for THAT title to change). Perhaps for a November Pub...maybe.

12. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

The Christian Writer's Association helped out a little, But TARA, the Tampa Area Romance Authors Association really made a major impact on my writing. Their team of professional encouragement and network has instilled pride in my community of writers and their phenomenal president, Anne Marie Carrol is second to none in the encouragement department. They've been a phenomenal group of professionals.

13. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The most challenging part of writing is weaving five stories together into one without losing the interest, the action or value of each individual story. Some people don't see a need for that. Some say it's impossible. But I know some readers who read with the second and third stories as their major interest line. My main characters are their subplots. I think that should be a perogative.
What most people see as challenging in my own work...is the sex and paranormal elements I have in my Christian genre. Christians just don't read me. I'm barbaric or something. But, face it. Vampires are out there somewhere, and Christians have sex. Those are such heretical statements for my Belief Family. The other challenge is my Adult Fantasy is set in the future. Christians are not supposed to have a future because Jesus will be here soon (End of world is sponsored by alot of people recently. Maybe something up with that.). So, I could get excommunicated on several levels with that too. Challenging but definitely cutting edge.

14. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Writing is a passion. It's a career. It's a worthwhile effort, but it's also who you are. Sometimes phenomenal authors wake up to the realization writing is what they do, and not who they are. That's so hard because they feel guilty, and they shouldn't. Some are called, some are born. There is so much value in BOTH realms. Neither realm is better. They're just different.
That, and, honestly Timing is just about everything. Waiting and launching and windows in writing is paramount to survival and existence. If I hadn't moved when the Time Window was open, I'd never have published...ever. God and I had an argument and I put my foot on His line. (New blog topic to post later. Focus on Questions for now).

15. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write. Write more than you read. Write your own style. Don't copy others. Write what you believe, what you feel, what your gift is. If it's humor (blessed you are and rare your gift), have fun. If it's suspense (high in demand and hard as snow in June)tighten the strings. Just don't try to write something you're not. And, don't let too many cooks spoil that broth in the Editing process. Write Tight by William Brohaugh is an excellent book, Read that, find One Editor you trust, Don't let your friends tell you what to do there. Friends are for encouragement. Not for the chop shop.

15 P.S. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Read. Read as if it were the next movie. If it's great, tell others to read. If it's lousy, drop it and read something else. So many books. So little time. Don't let one author make you mad enough to get out of the habit. If you finish a lousy book, reach into that bag again and read. Reading is power. You should be planning a take-over of some universe...just in case our world really ends.

Happy Christmas.

In honor of this second section of interviews, I'd like to suggest KYRlane.com. Kathy Lane is the author of a phenomenal series of Romantic Suspense and I'm a rabid fan. She has great blog interviews already up and does tours and stuff. Her newest book, Sniper Shots is the best so far. Check her out!

Interview Questions: 6-10. Whoot.

#6. Are experiences in your book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Yes, Yes Yes. Mostly about Maggie who now lives in Idaho with her baby brother. She was an awesome angry teen who's life could have been so much nastier if her positive attitude and gripping determination hadn't set her out and above her circumstances. She's an inspiration for me. Continues to be so because she's motivating and determining things positively on her own.
Other experiences...I love sticking stuff in when it comes to my YA. My adult stuff...none of it is based on my life. None at all, but my YA is just riddled with connection stuff. I think it changes my style. We'll see as I go if that makes a difference.

7. What books have most influenced your life most?

The Bible. it's sharp, focused, well edited and true.
C.S. Lewis who is not ever afraid to bash you in the nose and step on your feet and make you laugh at yourself. He writes delightfully, deceptively simple.
JRR Tolkien, though I've only read his library once. He's such a thorough world weaver. I love his intricate plot-lines.
Kathy Lane who weaves worlds and has such passion in her story. The stories just live, dripping with passion for life and love.
Ilona Andrews. What a team. What an amazing team. They write tight. They weave tight. They're hilarious. I love their grit and slice of dark side they have on the edge of their work.
Max Lucado who taught me the value of repeating a word, and the weaving of rhythm in my story telling. He's my read out loud hero.

#8.If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I love to think JRR tolkien when I write. His character weaving is similar to mine in the bands of friends and the working themes throughout. I'd like to sit under his mentor ship for several years. The bible, surprisingly is an amazing mentor for my editing work and my thematic inspiration. It has so many answers. C.L.Wilson is an inspiring mentor I've enjoyed.

#9. What book are you reading now?
I'm going to read something Christmas. I'm Reading Timothy Vey; Prisoner of Cell 25, and a silly Zombie/Apocalypse story I keep picking up and putting down. It's funny. I like funny books. Ilona Andrew's Steel's Edge is sitting there, all pretty.

10.Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Kathryne Kennedy surprised and delighted me. I like her. Lynsay Sands is fun,and Molly Harper has a wit that's just great. I thoroughly enjoyed her work.

Stay tuned for part three in our Question Session Saturday! Yippie!

An amazing author friend has questions about herself and her books posted recently on a Goodreads blog. She's been a crack editor for years, but she's an even better author. Check her out. Eliza March! and her steamy suspense: Across a Crowded Room.

I don't know why I assumed you had to have someone formally ask you questions. The end of the world is scheduled for December 21. We might not have much time. So,here are answers to questions Inquiring minds may want to know in the future. I've put five in each blog entry so the ADD people won't freak out.

#1. What inspired you to write your first book?

Believe it or not, James Feinmore Cooper's 'Last of the Mohicans' inspired me. Not for it's literary adeptness and inspiration but because in the first chapter, he describes...a tree. I'm not kidding. To my ADD brain, it took him thirty pages to tell me about a tree. Was the tree IMPORTANT? No, he ran past it. I threw it at my English Teacher's desk and she threw it back. 'If you think you're so hot, write better.' She snapped. I told her we could have killed thirty bad people in thirty pages, and kidnapped the president. So, I set out to write something better.

#2. Do you have a specific writing style?

I write Christian Themes throughout my Action and Fantasy because I want to be a blessing to my Creator and to inspire. God is just sooo under rated.People put him in a box labeled boring and try to put him on a shelf. I think his story is sharp enough to cut through any box they have.
I write first person well for my YA and third person well for my Adult stuff. I try to keep things simple, for all the ADD people who don't read powerful trending person-twice-removed POV's. I let my characters dictate their own style alot. Characters drive the story for me.

#3. How did you come up with the title?

Magnificent Alabaster Graves series came out of the Plot believe it or not, because it's actually part three in a huge story about the Keys of Death Hell and the Grave. I think most of titles come out of plot or character. I try not to be to clever. Of course to combat this, book one is Magnificent, book two is Alabaster and book three is Graves...so...


#4. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

God is awesome. He's the one you should trust and depend on. Decision is everything. Positiveness changes people's lives. Life comes at you fast, but you're never alone. No matter what. And, you Do make a powerful difference in the lives of others, even if you feel small and insignificant. There's growing research that proves as a global universe becomes more prevalent, each individual contributing does have an impact on society. I want to emphasize the power of one's testimony on others.

#5. How much of the book is realistic?

For Book One of Magnificent, a surprising amount is biographical. And emotionally, it's all realistic. I wanted the fantasy portion to stimulate thought, so I kept it close to research I've done. What would happen if it COULD be real? What would happen if it WERE mostly real? And names were just changed. Hmmm...

Stay tuned for part two of the Interview.

I've just finished my YA series. First off the press. All happy and glowing. Now, I press onward. While my editor is happily chewing on re-writes and edits and details, I turn toward the next project. I have several other worlds I could spin. The YA could go into another 'Gate' series. A new series could begin. I have three fantasy characters politely stalking me with beautiful plots and outlines. It's like having a teddy bear picnic in the back yard. My friends want me to recycle. 'Dig out Jonas and Ruth.' 'It's their time. Their turn. It's a great story.' Everyone seemed to be in unison so I dug it out.

It's a beautiful monster. A nightmare of glory that's covered in dirt and muscle. It's legendary, brutal,scarred. But the story is strong and vibrant and alive. The characters still like me despite their burial for years. Parts of it is like 'Wow, who wrote this?' but mostly, it's like 'Wow, who wrote this?' (with negative emphasis). As it surfaced, I realized how huge it was. It's not a Teddy bear, but a colossal Grizzly sitting in a field of flowers pretending to be a gentle Ben. I know better. One step closer and it's going to pounce.

Faith. I've just come through the faith test and I'm all shiny and nice. Who wrote all those heroic songs about fighting and valor and roaring battle glory? Who wrote the legends of scary huge bears and war? People should be careful what they write. But Faith is like a sword...it's only good when you're using it. So I creep closer to the Bear. Nice Bear. Nice scary huge plot line with teeth and claw.

I need an axe. Hmm...this little sword is not going to be enough. What kind of stretch of experience do you have go through to make your puny little toothpick sword into an axe...I don't think I want to know. Heeeere...Bear. Gentle Ben. That's right, smell the flowers. Eat the honey.

I venture forward an inch at a time. In the background my friends make swishing noises with their hands. 'Going on a Bear Hunt...' they sing happily. Why do they teach children those things? People should be careful what they teach children. Here...plot line. Outline. Story of beauty and muscle. Why can't bears hibernate all year?

Cause then we wouldn't get axes I guess. Maybe if I do this on my knees.

Recently, I have been prescribed with glasses. Feel like a bat coming out of the closet. Finally. As a dichotomy I'm definitely going into the dark as far as writing.

I wrote this story. One solid core One plot. One Character center. Before, I've always complexly spun multiple character layers. I know the story. I just write dense. But with this YA, I was sure simple would be the new Fashion plate.

Seems I need Fashion police. All of my beta readers complained and beat their chests. One threw dirt. My YA solid core had holes. The plot needed reworking. I had HOLES...HOLES to fill in.

I am not someone to over look chest beating or dirt. So I have set about filling in holes. An interesting prospect. I've left the core alone, unless you count glancing at it from time to time for continuity. I'm writing a braid around the core. Talk about strange. I'm not sure at all that it will fit.

I feel very...Christian. We often are set to fill in holes, without seeing the main story till its all done and set in stone. It's faith. I'm writing in faith.

This faith stuff is not as easy as it looks let me tell you. But if the story seams itself to be a beautiful piece of art, it will be a miracle and I'll have to say, I wasn't the only one writing it.

For me...that's a scary enough project to chance. Cause I know what kind of storyteller Jesus was. Maybe that's why Grace is so amazing.

When I'm reading a book, I want escape, to a place I'm surrounded with atmosphere and action and people who inspire me. I want a wild ride. I want a professional, Disney/Pixar theme ride where I will stand in line for hours to read it again. I want to see the movie.

I think as authors,we strive to build rides readers flock to, compelling their friends to read even when their friends aren't into reading. The Reader inside of me has experienced a great book's rush where I sit on the edge of the next page. I've also read complete flops and jumped out of the ride's emergency exit before I was half finished. Here are some things I've noticed makes an author's ride successful or not.

The Characters: Build them hot, real, with enough flaws and scars to give connection. If you build one your readers don't like, they quickly lose interest. Who wants to read about someone you don't even like?

Parameters: Give the reader your main characters right away. Identify your HEA candidates quickly. Don't leave them wondering who's main and who's minor. Offer the reader parameters of who characters will hook up with. Readers don't mind triangles, but too much contemplation builds uncertainty and they don't invest in the story.

Perspectives: Keep the Point of View simple. Don't try double-deep kamasutra styled perspectives if you're not double jointed in your writing skills. Readers want to enjoy the story, not study the style (unless you're uber-literary).

Head-hopping: DON'T. PLEASE DON'T. Not even in jest. Not even to explore. It proves you don't belong to a caring group of writer networks. Because writers who care, don't let other writers hop-in-head.

Voice: Develop a strong voice. A voice you can hear in your head after the book has closed and the credits are rolling. Characters should leap off the page, dialogue should flow with seamless precision or sizzle with emotion. You need diversity and culture and strong vibrant lines. Tiptoeing through style and quivery whispers in the voice department is deadly to an author.

Be humble: Don't think you're J.K. Rowling, Nora Roberts, or Jeanine Frost when you're not. Write honestly. Write a fast exciting ride. Strive to get better (like all the masters do). Take care of your Readers and keep yourself humble. (all great authors ooze with humility).

Finally, a reader needs to feel safe. You can torture and endanger your characters as long as you build an underlying assurance of that Happily Ever After. You should take care to weave security throughout your plot. Explain situations, don't jerk or scare or torture your readers. They will not like you for it. (Unless you're writing at J.K. Rowling's skill level).

Write fast and hot and exciting scenes. Re-write them humbly and get better. Improve. Write a wild ride and readers will come!