Saturday, September 22, 2012

Claudy Conn's Legends Series Blog Tour & Guest Post...


Hey everyone! Below is a guest post question and an excerpt from Claudy Conn. She is currently doing a blog tour for her Legends series. Say hi and check links below on where to buy! Also check the giveaway details at the end of this post!


What process do you use when you write a story - Do you use an outline, or a timeline, to remember who is doing what and when?
 
I use my writing bible. My editor created it and we add to it. It reminds me who is who, where, what and when. I set up goals and scan back at my notes to see if I am achieving those goals. I can never stick to an outline because my characters are alive and never do as they are told!



Excerpt from 'Catch & Hold':

If I timed it wrong I knew I would have his death sword buried in my gut.

Before I could explore the possibilities and help myself, I was staring at Gaiscioch, who had suddenly shifted into the war room, only ten feet away from where I tottered.
He shook his head and smirked at me. “Well then, just what kind of a warrior are you? Letting one of those things connect with you—tsk, tsk. Not as proficient with your Fae skills as you thought you were, eh, Daoine?”
His tone goaded me and somehow gave me the strength to sneer at him with a great measure of bravado I was far from feeling. Bluster, I told myself, bluster … and get the hell out of here.
Did I listen to me? No.
I prepared myself as instinct took over, guided me, and told me just what he had in mind. I waited as he looked me over. I waited for the moment he would shift at me with his death sword aimed.
I sensed it the moment he went into his mind. I sniffed at his scent and forced myself to wait a fraction of a moment.
If I timed it wrong I knew I would have his death sword buried in my gut.
Just as I felt him shift, I jumped out of his way. His face was a mask of fury, and he lunged towards me, but again, I was ready for him, and this time, I shifted.
Once again I had come face to face with my father’s murderer and I had allowed him to live. I felt heartsick … and then I realized I also felt really sick …
Was I dying? No. I couldn’t die yet, I had to kill Gais—I had to. I couldn’t die without doing that first, and something else, something so important, someone so important.
Danté—I had to see Danté, if only for the last time. My mind exploded with his name, and I heard the anguish in my voice reverberate all through the Dark King’s retreat as I shouted with the last bit of strength I had.
D-a-n-t-é!

Where to find and buy any of these books: 


Stalker Links: 

 Facebook Fan Page

And finally, the Giveaway:

3 comments:

Ellie Garratt said...

I like the idea of a writing bible. I have one for my current WIP. Everything gets noted and dated. No one else would probably understand it but I do.

Loved the excerpt!

Mel Chesley said...

I like that idea as well. I wonder if it would work better for me than outlining? We'll have to see! Thanks for dropping by, Ellie!

dolorah said...

Hmm, too bad the contest is over.

I liked this premise. I'm a fan of Fae, and intrigued with the concepts that involve them.

I wrotem my women's fiction trilogy as a complete novel, then had to split, and split again. Once I'd had to revise and edit with the three novel concept, I had to go back ad think about the time line.

I had to write some crib notes to myself to keep certain info consistent throughout the series. Probably not as involved or complex as your publishers spreadsheet; but the writing took me several months to perfect as I kept discovering new events to add to the separate writing.

Regardless of who initiates the timeline writing, the author needs to keep track of certain events, and only the author truly knows what events should be included.

You did well to keep all relevant info in a concise file for future reference. You never know when copious notes will come in handy.

........dhole