The creative process...

     A number of people have been asking me about my 'process' for writing a top young adult fiction book series, as if I have a mysterious or scientific approach for creating a new novel or characters or settings. In truth, I don't rightly think I do.
    When I started out the Luminary Saga book series, I outlined the general actions, goals, problems and circumstances of each book and knew the core characters that would be inhabiting the worlds that I was creating...other than that, I allowed each story to unfold more organically.
     I had a number of plates spinning in the air simultaneously and didn't want to force the appearance of any particular paranormal species. Especially when tackling subject matter that involves finding a soul mate, psychic abilities, witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and an odd shapeshifter or two. Not to mention constructing two new races; the super immortal, Paragons, and the Luminaries. Then tying it all together in this epic, coming of age love story.
     I think when anyone is approaching such an endeavor, whether it's to create one of the best young adult paranormal romance novels that you can find online or in print  -- or one of the best science fiction and fantasy novels or ebooks, (I've been told that I'm in the wrong genre) allow yourself some wiggle room. Otherwise the chaffing can be intense.
     That said, I am a chronic note maker. I never know when inspiration is gonna strike. It shows in the files that I keep. I have (or had) a folder chock full of notes for each book.
     Ideas jotted down for this chapter or the next -- on cocktail napkins, envelopes, post-its, notebooks, appointment cards, receipts, even discarded calendar pages (yes, sometimes I get a little ridiculous about it) Case in point, check out the folder that I have for Flare, the seventh book in the Luminary Saga...on the right in the photo.

     Just for visual reference, I placed a book beside it. As you can see, I probably have too many schemes in mind for it to be a short novel. Knowing that has caused me considerable worry as there were other chapters that I culled from earlier volumes, thinking that it would help build suspense if they were added later. None of those chapters are actually in the above folder.
     And to be clear, from the outline that I currently have for Flare... there's no place for them. Rather than chuck the homeless chapters, I decided to reintegrate them into their earlier novels. But even that isn't as simple as it sounds. Other details have to be added here and there in subsequent chapters to make it all flow. Cohesion is a big part of it. Think of it as something to chat about during your next book club.
     Hopefully when I'm done, it will add rather than detract from the stories. Giving you more background into the lives of the characters. Either way, I'm positive that readers will give me their feedback. Which by the way, I honestly do appreciative.
     Of course all of this is driving my editor a little nuts, as it means that Flare's arrival may be pushed back.

Grab a copy of Beacon during this special promotion!!!!!

Now's your opportunity to catch up with the second thrilling installment of the Luminary Saga. My book, Beacon, is currently on promotion on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and Kobo. That means it's FREE!!!
For a limited time you can find out if soul mates can be un-mated and what happens when such a plan is attempted. Believe me, it's not pretty.
Get your digital download of Beacon before this promotion ends on June 24th.

For a free copy of Beacon click here:

For a free copy of Beacon click here:

                                       

For a free copy of Beacon click here:

                       

For a free copy of Beacon click here: 

Beacon Excerpt:

She trudged across campus inwardly beating herself up for her stupidity, as she thought of it. Now she'd have to see him again. She told herself to act like it didn't matter and would be on her best behavior. She wouldn't lose her temper or act jealous or reveal that she'd seen him with his lady friend. She'd concentrate on not allowing Professor Chang's garbled English make her crazy, not lose her patience. Mental pep talk complete, she felt considerably better now with a game plan. 

Emily purchased the new used textbook, stowed it in her backpack and finished her water and crackers as she headed to her next class. Somewhere between the start of it and its conclusion, her resolve faltered. Knowing that she was going to see David in 90 minutes was playing havoc with her fortitude.

Deciding to grab a sandwich in the student center deli to calm the nervous butterflies in her stomach, didn't help much. She went into the restroom and splashed some water on her face. Taking stock of her reflection, she was critical of her appearance.   

Her long curly brown hair hung down like a curtain over her shoulders. She ran her fingers through it, loving the silky feel. The image in the mirror was too pale and her lips were too large. She liked her eyes, people told her that she had nice eyes. Her thick eyebrows were problematic, while they provided natural definition to her eyes, they could get heavy and she had to pluck the center space to ensure that she didn't have a unibrow. 

She was wearing her blue, striped, silk blouse, skinny jeans and her uggs. The blouse's color enhanced the cobalt hue of her eyes, she mused, pleased. She berated herself for not putting more thought into the outfit. In her defense, she'd forgotten about the class and didn't realize that she'd be running into HIM. Usually on the first day of classes, all she wanted was to be comfortable.  

                  * * * * * * * * 

The Wisconsin transplant took her time getting to know people, she was quite gifted at seeing them the way they really were and not taken in by appearance or illusion. Her quick mind allowed her to assess people easily. She could be gullible when it came to their motives however. Emily had a kind and pure heart. She did what was right by others and expected the same in return. Sensible and aware of her strengths and weaknesses, she didn't put on airs. Her own inner candor made her a good writer and helped in the development of characters for her short stories.

Emily assumed that she could use that knowledge during Mr. Chang's class. She'd observe and mentally  record details of her experience to use for a story later one, she mused. Approaching the situation that way enabled her to have a different perspective. Now that she'd decided to turn the un-comfortableness into a learning tool, she didn't dread it as much. She felt better, not a lot, but some. 

The American Lit major waited as long as she dared until she went to the correct classroom in the science and engineering building.

Professor Chang was standing in front of a smart screen talking to his teaching assistant, Frank, when she entered. There were computers on each of the desks, the room was normally used as a lab for the computer science majors. Most of the students sat in the back of the class which left the first two rows almost empty.

She walked to the second row and sat down without looking around. So far so good, she'd thought. Her luck didn't hold out for long. A boy that knew Emily was sitting a few rows back. He called out to her.

"Emily, Hey Emily...I'm surprised that you're here," said her nerd friend, Dylan, in a low tone.

"My adviser wanted me to take it...I need another elective," she said turning around in her seat, then froze as she spotted David. He was sitting a few desks away. He was looking directly at her. Gorgeous as the day he'd come to her rescue. Damn his knight-in-shinning-armor, fairy-tale prince good looks, she thought. 

He'd seen her notice him. 

She couldn't help but meet his eyes with her own. Be on your best behavior, she thought. She smiled in acknowledgment, felt her cheeks grow warm and swiftly turned to face forward.

Frank was handing out the syllabus and collecting email addresses for the professor. She focused her attention on the paper he gave her as she jotted down her information.

Profession Chang started lecturing before Frank had made it halfway round the room. She spent the rest of the class looking at his power-point presentation and talking notes. It was surprisingly easy to ignore the instructor's verbal faux pas, knowing that David was only a few feet away. As long as she did that, it was fine. 

Emily's mind raced ahead. What should she do when class was over? she thought. It would be rude to walk away without saying something. David had helped her after all, she mused. She was torn between wanting to talk to him and not. He has someone in his life, her thoughts warned.

He knew that she'd seen him. Emily was big on doing the right thing. She told herself to stop overthinking the circumstances and decided that if he spoke to her, she'd be polite and  answer him.  There was no need to go looking for trouble.

However, that didn't stop trouble from coming for her.