BooksOnBoard: a Place for Ebook and Audiobook Fans discussion

I'll be popping in and out here, mostly in I hope, to discuss and answer any questions folks might have.

Munching on seafood ravioli here, so, if anyone has a question for me, please speak up, and yes, even if it's something about the book you didn't like. I've got thick skin, don't worry. :)

Glad you enjoyed it! The germ of the idea came from the Nick character. I wanted to do something different with vampires, and came up with this image of the old west sheriff, who lets himself get turned so he can go after the vampire who killed his family. Fast forward to present day, and where would things be if the vendetta had not been resolved? That was the starting point at least.

Should mention also, that Nick and his men killed the villain's wife and son in a big old style shootout, which turned into the vendetta that has followed Nick for the past 170 years.

I will be writing up a "missing chapters" download for people to read hopefully before Vengeful Dead is out, that details the shootout with Drake and his subsequent tit-for-tat against Nick. It'll be a pretty bloody, gruesome affair, but a lot of people have lamented the fact that a lot of Nick's backstory is kind of glossed over.

I do also have Nick's Journal on my website, which only has 3 entries at the moment, but will be built upon throught the series that is his thoughts on events that occur over the decades following his turning while he hunts for Drake and tries to deal with what he has become in order to do so.

Hey Jim! I've always wondered... what is your LEAST favorite part about writing? Bashing your head against the wall at a writer's block? Writing a character you hate (because s/he's supposed to be that way) but having to write through it?

That's ok, folks can post up questioins later. I'll pop in here over the next few days and answer best I can.

Magdalene, honestly my least favorite part of writing is the editing afterward. I have a very difficult time getting objective distance from my writing without letting it sit for months, which of course I don't have time to do. I enjoy writing characters that are rather loathesome as much as the cool ones. They're all fun to bring to life.

Ah, we are polar opposites! I love editing things. It does get difficult, and of course you're attached to what you do, but there is something satisfying about polishing something you like into something you love, and are proud of.

I let me reiterate for those hesitant to say anything about the story they had a hard time with. Reviews to this point have been all over the place. Some readers really connect to the rough and tumble Jackie, and others just don't like her period. Some like the pacing, others felt it too slow. It's interesting to see all of the differences, but I am good hearing it all. I'm not the sort who can't handle tough reviews. It's to be expected in this game of publishing. So, don't let my presence here interfere if you don't have glowing things to say :)

Magdalene, I should also say that because of this fact, I try to write in a way to minimize editing as much as possible. I plot out the whole book before I write. I know the basics of everything that's going to happen before word one gets on the page. I don't write exceptionally fast either. Some writers will cruise through that first draft, with the "go back and fix later" attitude, which works great for many. I plod my way through, trying to make sure everything is pretty well set the first time through. This isn't to say I don't have a fair bit of cleaning up and polishing to do, but the story itself is structurally where I want it to be.

Well, Jackie had to be someone who could officially get involved in Nick's mess and provide a good source of conflict for him, since his motus operandi is to keep everyone out. People who've been involved before have ended up dead. I could have chosen local law enforcement but I liked the idea of a broader scale, with the option to look into other paranormal occurences should the book turn into a series, which it did.
On a personal level, I wanted the challenge of writing someone who was coming from a very dark place, who had that kind of old school, noir detective vibe of being very good at their job while personally being not only something of a basket case but also kind of a pain in the ass to be around.
I also really enjoy writing female characters. It's fun to try and think from that perspective and make it believable.
On the other hand, Jackie is not very feminine at all. There are emotional/personal reasons for this, and it's a source of angst for Jackie. For as much as she can physically kick butt, she's really very broken on the inside. Being a psych major in school made this really intriguing to me. I actually wrote Deadworld in first person pov originally. This helped a lot for getting into Jackie's head and really get a feel for where she was coming from. Was it hard? At times yes, because she is coming from a place that I personally have no direct experience with. I have a lot of education around issues of violence and how it effects people, but it's a different story to try and get into the head of someone who has. Certainly a challenge but a great writing experience.

The Vengeful Dead is done. I'm starting on book three right now, which is due in September and will be out next April. Vengeful will be out in October. As for unexpected difficulties, yes, lol. There's a pivotal, very emotional scene between Nick and Jackie in the beginning of book three that sets the emotional arc of the story. While I know what's happening, it's hard to get just the way I want it, and also, it's a type of scene that I don't believe gets handled very often in this genre, and I really want to get it just right. Readers will be disappointed if I don't. lol. So no pressure or anything.

The 3-P's: patience, persistence, and practice. Write a lot, it's the only way to get better. Be patient with yourself and others. Publishing is not an instant gratification process. It also takes time to get better. You can't read a book on writing and suddenly be a talented writer. And keep at it. There will be failures, likely many of them before any success. That's the nature of this art/business. It's okay to write junk. If you really want to be a writer, you will keep doing it, over and over again, until you are talented enough to have a shot at success (it should be noted lots of good writing never achieves any kind of "market" success). I've been writing (not straight mind you) for 30 years. I'd almost call it a lifestyle. I was lucky in getting published after two complete novels. Some people I know have taken 15 or 20 to get there. If you want it though, and are willing to tough it out, it can happen.

Also, I'm fine if you leave the thread open for a couple of days. I'm happy to check in regularly to answer more questions people might have.

You too! The invitation to join you all here is much appreciated. I hope you and all who decide to delve into the Deadworld series enjoy the story. And please, I love answering questions, so anyone feel free to ask, or pop over to my blog and ask there too, at jnduncan.wordpress.com

Thank you Jim for commenting on it!! I bought it late (on the 25th) and haven't had a chance to finish it yet. (I'm in the not a big fan of Jackie club... but I see some things in her that would make a good change, help, not sure where I'm going with that.) I was bummed not to have finished the book and participated in a commentary with author, so rare! So far, I like the Nick character and can't wait to read more of him so from what you've said, I'll be sure to find #2 and #3 and perhaps find those journal entries on your website.

Your writing flows very well in my head when reading and I can't find any complaints on the pace of the story. Looking forward to finishing it and moving on the next stories!

Erin, I get emailed when someone posts a comment here, so if you have a question that comes up, feel free to ask.

Where did you get the inspiration or idea for Jackie? Specifically, her background and reaction to it. Did you consult a psychiatrist on this type of personality. And no, I'm not a brain doc. So really I have no idea what that kind of trauma would do to a person.

Honestly, I thought everything went very well in the book but there was one point near to the end in which Jackie's character did something that stuck with me. I'm at a loss cause I can't easily find the point in an ebook without rereading. I'll reread the end third and find it sometime soon.

Why did Laurel disappear when everyone thought Jackie had died? I didn't understand that.

If the idea of a western sheriff is what inspired this book, why did you write it from the perspective of a modern day FBI agent? Why not focus it more upon the 'sheriff.'

Hm, I'll think up some other questions probably right after I send this.

Erin, Jackie came about in sort of a backward manner. I played off of the typical noir detective image, i.e. tough, rough, hard-drinking, socially kind of an ass, etc. Then I worked backward looking at reasons why this might be. I actually have a psych and social work degree, so I'm familiar with emotional issues, and family violence in particular, so I wanted to draw on that knowledge in creating Jackie's background issues. My driving thought on Jackie was what would make her hard on the outside but falling apart and broken on the inside? The idea of Deadworld kind of took on two meanings, both physical and emotional.

If you're referring to what I think you are regarding Laurel's disappearance, it's because she is still getting the hang of being able to move back and forth between the two worlds. Though not really explained in the book, it takes energy for a ghost to exist in the living world. After a time, they must return to recharge as it were.

And finally, while Nick was indeed the inspiration for the story, I realized as I played around with the story ideas that I was more intrigued by Jackie's character. I've had several complaints about the lack of Nick's backstory in Deadworld, so I do regret a bit not including more of him. That said, I'll be writing up his initial encounters with Drake as some extra content for readers here, hopefully before The Vengegul Dead comes out in October.

Thanks for the questions! And feel free to ask more as they come up. Take care.