Happy St. Patrick's Day!
The lovely Cristal Ryder offered me the next slotted Monday after her on the My Writing Process - Blog Hop. Many thanks, my dear!
Here goes...
1) What am I working on?
Let's see, lately I've been working on mapping out exactly what the backs of my eyelids look like, ignoring my Muse's snide comments about my inability to choose just one story to work on and determined to prove to her my way of fleshing out the top three stories she's presented me really does work best.
I've aced the first one, 'cause let's be honest, who doesn't like to map the backs of their eyelids? Most of us like it so much we work extra hard to find perfection.
The second task is harder as Mz. Muse is really good at digging into my psyche and rooting around for all of the most painful things she can find. I almost envy those authors with nice helpful Muses, but then I remind myself that I would probably run roughshod over a nice muse. I definitely need a hard-ass on my case.
The third task I'm doing pretty well with. Between promo and school work, I've been jotting down info on three different story ideas. I'm giving myself about a month to lay down everything I have in my head related to each of these stories:
1) The third story in my Northwood Jags series, The Release.
2) The second story in my erotica shorts series.
3) And a total surprise to me, a story I would self-pub from a world grown in my group blog Shapeshifter Seductions, Reetha and Rafe's story.
When I've reached the end of my month, I'll be choosing the story I have the most info on and letting Mz. Muse have her way with it and me. I haven't told her that, of course, she would take advantage.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Wow, that's a tough question. I think all works out there differ because of the authors voice. I mean, I have a book about shape shifters...do they go through a change? Yes. Is is a magical change or a physical one? Definately physical...bloody and painful. Mz. Muse is not just mean to me, but mean to the characters as well. :D
One difference I think is location, location, location. Mz. Muse and I have placed our big cats not in the warm southern jungles, but in the cold north woods of Minnesota. Not your typical home for a jaguar.
3) Why do I write what I do?
Because Mz. Muse makes me! LOL Okay, not exactly true. Mz. Muse does play a role in why I write what I do. She whispers in my inner ear, nudges at my gray matter and lets the voices in my head come to the forefront to play. Most of those characters tend to be supernatural in some way...I do love the idea of a paranormal world. So much so Mz. Muse and I like to make our own.
4) How does your writing process work?
There's suppose to be a process? Oh, you mean how does it go from my head to the paper. Well, I'm a slow writer and a partial plotter, so I guess it all starts with that voice in my head that says...what if? Mz. Muse adores music so most of the time the what if comes from hearing a certain song. Right now, we're brewing a story that started from the song Hollywood Nights by Bob Seger. MM heard it and asked me...
"What if a shapeshifting wolf got tired of the big city nights and diamonds & thrills?"
From there we go back and forth on the characters, plot and location while jotting down flash scenes and dialog. Somewhere along the way everything is pulled together and the editing (and the bulk of the rewriting) begins.
Thanks for taking a moment to read about My Writing Process. Next week check out Shay MacLean and Solara Gordon on March 24th and see how they take their wonderful stories from start to finish.
Shay MacLean has been writing in one format or another most of her life finally settling into the erotic romance genre due to the urging of her wicked muse, Lucien and equally naughty characters.
Solara lives in the Metro DC area creating her next fascinating alternative lifestyles romance thanks to a vivid imagination.
Have a great week, ya'll!
