Saturday Snippet: Secondary Characters

The theme for this week is secondary characters.

Secondary characters add another dimension to a story: comic relief, danger and sometimes the plot hinges on a secondary character.

That's the case with "Sorry Charlie" an M/M story in the "Friction" anthology coming out in print by Total-E-Bound Monday December 7, 2009.

In "Sorry Charlie" Charlie's dad wants to make up after a 17-year family feud.

He's overjoyed, excited, and nervous as hell that his father is finally accepting his sexual orientation and speaking to him after a 17-year family feud but Charlie can't understand why his long-term partner Jonathan is acting jealous and clingy, when he should be happy for him or at least supportive.

Jon's afraid Charlie's family will hurt him again and he doesn't know if he can mend Charlie's heart if it shatters a second time or stand by and watch while Charlie sets himself up for more heartbreak.

Charlie's father is the catalyst for the story. Before Charlie's father came back into the picture, there was no conflict, thus no story.

Another secondary character in this story is Adam. Adam's a fun character. He's Charlie's and Jon's friend and provides the comic relief. In the act of trying to make Jon feel better, he causes more complications in an already complicated, emotional situation. The story wouldn't be the same without Charlie's father or Adam.




Excerpt From: Sorry Charlie

Search your feelings. You know I’m your father. The words rang in Charlie Lang’s head. For the past seventeen years, he’d wished anyone but Asa Charles Lang was his dad, even Darth Vader. His father made Vader look like a pussycat. At least, he’d wanted Luke once he’d found out about him.

Asa had been there at the moment of Charlie’s birth. He’d raised him ‘til he was seven when Charlie’s parents split. That’s when Asa had stolen off in the night to escape his debts, and according to Charlie’s mother, Gail, all his responsibilities to them. He’d found a new wife, made new kids, and only saw Charlie every few years for a measly day or two at a time.

Still, it hadn’t been too bad ‘til Charlie had come out of the closet at age twenty-two and announced he was gay. Then Asa, his stepmom, Sharon, and his half-siblings had disowned him. They’d declared him dead to them.

The thought of running into them on the street had his partner, Jonathan, freaking out.

Now Sharon and a half-brother were dead and buried, and his other sibs had moved away, leaving Asa alone. Now, he was ready to forgive Charlie and rebuild their relationship.

Charlie rubbed the half-day’s growth of beard on his chin and shook his head. This was a good thing. Right?

“I can’t do this with you right now,” he told Jonathan. “I have to meet my dad.” Charlie stood tall and didn’t allow himself to flinch—not outwardly anyway. He also didn’t let Jonathan’s pretty-boy looks or his pout sway him from today’s outing.

Jonathan glared and scrunched his nose. He threw down his towel like a gauntlet, leaving him naked. “When will you have time for me? This man abandoned you for seventeen years, trashed you to everyone you knew and made our lives hell. And now, you run every time he calls. I don’t get it. Explain it to me.”

"Sorry Charlie" in the "Friction" anthology is available in e-book now and print Monday Dec. 7, 2009 at Total-E-Bound.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts about secondary characters follow the links below:


Shelli Stevens
Leah Braemel
Anya Bast
Mandy Roth
Victoria Janssen
Sasha White

Vivian Arend
Ashley Ladd
Jaci Burton
Taige Crenshaw
Shelley Munro
TJ Michaels
Juliana Stone
Eliza Gayle
McKenna Jeffries
Moira Rogers 

Jody Wallace

Kelly Maher
Lauren Dane
Ashley Ladd


Recent posts you might like to read:

When Do You Write?

Nanowrimo Thoughts 

To Nano Or Not To Nano - That Is The Question

Why You Should Consider Library Booksignings

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!

Make Every Word Count

Nanowrimo is coming to a close today and for many it's been a month to write as many words as they can, at least 50,000.

With or without nano, I like to write my rough draft straight through and get the words on paper. Then I edit.

At this point, however, it's time to tighten the writing and make every scene, indeed every word count. Recently I've been writing 1,000 word short stories for promotion which has reiterated to me, the need to write tightly.

When writing tightly, every word of dialogue, scenery and plot must count. Nothing can be extraneous. Perhaps even characters can be combined.

I'm a big fan of "V" also known as "The Visitors". I loved the show in 1984 and I love the new version now. My husband bought the old mini-series and series on DVD so the kids and I have recently been watching it.

There are many similarities between the old series and the new. But the characters are tighter in the new. Some have been combined. For instance "Tyler", the boy who's enamored of the V's and becomes a V-youth-ambassador is also in love with one of the V's. He's also the son of Erica, the main female character.

In the old series, Tyler's character was a conglomeration of Mike's son (Mike was the reporter), Daniel the boy who was the V-youth ambassador and Robin, the young woman who was in love with Bryan, a foxy V.

Erica as I just mentioned, seems to be the new "Julie" who was the leader of the earth resistance movement in the old series. Julie was a doctor who happened to be a good leader. As much as I liked Julie, Erica's character is in a better position to help earth being an FBI agent who has access to the V's.

Ryan, the 5th Columnist V traitor in the new series is a combination of Willie, Bryan and Martin from the old. Ryan's a 5th Columnist V traitor who's in love with an earthling and helping the earthlings. He's also the father of the half-human/half-V baby.

The V's themselves are better drawn. Their voices aren't as rough in their reincarnation. They don't wear goggles and announce to us earthlings that their eyes are light sensitive. The observant will notice that Anna's eyes occasionally oddly flicker. She's the V's leader in the new series if you've not seen it.

Of course, the writers of the new series have had 25 years to observe and think about how to tighten the story. But we writers who are writing a never-before-told story have the responsibility to write tight prose, interesting characters and a fascinating plot.

Recent posts you might like to read:

Nanowrimo Thoughts 

To Nano Or Not To Nano - That Is The Question

Why You Should Consider Library Booksignings

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!


You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

I (Don't) Love Big Butts

In order to write writers need to "sit butt in chair and write!" It's a universal axiom and it works.

The initial draft may not be publishable but it's a lot easier to edit black words on a screen than an empty screen.

Of course that's not the only writing axiom writers need to follow.

Unfortunately, although gluing your butt to a chair and writing for hours is an excellent way to get a lot of writing done, it's also a good way to get a big butt. That's what happened to me anyway.

There has to be a happy medium between working and exercising. What good is it to become multi-published even if you become as rich as Rockefeller if you die young from obesity or other health problems caused by inactivity?

I realized that several years ago when I was putting out a lot of books but couldn't walk up stairs without huffing and puffing and when I was also embarrassed to post my author photo online.

I worked hard and got fit. In the process I became thin. I was happy about how I felt and looked. I was proud of how hard I'd worked to get there. I wasn't happy, however, with my book output. I'd put all my energy into getting fit.

The writing bug bit me again. I had to get my writing career back on track. I was furious at myself. And I thought I would be able to write more and maintain my weight and my health.

But I didn't. Perhaps if I didn't have a full-time day job and children's sports activities several times a week I'd be able to juggle just writing and just exercise. Perhaps other people can successfully manage many different things much better than me.

I'm going to try again to regain my health, lose weight, spend less money on food and still write a lot. Of course I say that now when my daughter's second softball team just ended and Fall Ball softball tournaments are finished. Last week at this time I was at Fall Ball all day Saturday. This weekend, we've been cooking diet meals to freeze for the week.

Time to exercise or not, time to cook ahead or not, I can eat less and eat better: fruits, veggies, nuts, water...

I cooked all morning today and this will be my lunches for this week: Cabbage Soup.

The dinners we cooked ahead also include meat loaf, shrimp fried rice and taco soup. For dessert we made Rice Krispies Treats and chocolate dipped frozen bananas.

Recent posts you might like to read:

Nanowrimo Thoughts 

To Nano Or Not To Nano - That Is The Question

Why You Should Consider Library Booksignings

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!


You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Saturday Snippets: Departures

Today's Saturday excerpts are all about departures.

My excerpt takes departures to the extreme. If you know me, you know I love what my kids term "end of the world movies". Picture "2012", "Knowing", "Independence Day" and "Day After Tomorrow" to get an idea.

Astronaut Major David Randolph is the last human male alive after Earth blows up. Colonel Genie Siska and David witness Earth's explosion from their space ship. In shock and despair, the couple run through a myriad of emotions. Although Genie's always been highly attracted to the major, he's also fourteen years younger than her. Even though he's literally the last man left alive, she still doesn't know if she can take a man so much younger than her as her lover.

David's always been in love with his commanding officer, and he's frustrated that even now, she resists him. They are literally mankind's last chance for survival. Or are they? When they are "rescued" or is it kidnapped by aliens, the whole picture changes. However, they are not sure if it's for better or worse.

Excerpt from: Last Man on Earth

USAF Colonel Genie Siska gaped at the blinding lights pinpointing the Earth. In shock, she wasn’t sure if she was speaking aloud or thinking, “My dear God. What’ve they done? How could they?”

“God save our souls,” Major David Randolph whispered beside her. His shoulder crowded hers and his hip bumped her as he ran back to his station.

The com channels were frantic with chatter. Maydays arose in every language. Reports of massive death and destruction filled Genie’s ears as she stared in disbelief from the command link to the planet below. Her fingers dug into the ledge in front of her, and she feared she’d sink to the ground if she let go. “How can they do this?”

She prayed to God for forgiveness and deliverance.

“Don’t just stand there, Colonel!” David grabbed her and dragged her into their escape ship. “We’ve got to get out of here now. If the planet explodes, it’ll blast apart the station.”

Earth explode?

She gulped. Her heart shattered as she envisioned the fiery deaths of all the children of Earth. The babies. The animals. All innocents. None deserving of the fate their elders decreed.

Mutely, swallowing hard, hoping David’s words weren’t prophetic, she forced herself to focus. But she couldn’t wrap her mind around the possible reality.

She helped David steer the ship out into space far enough for safety but close enough to see their home. When he put his arm around her, she didn’t demur. Rather, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her cheek on his shoulder, taking comfort from his steady heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest. “Why is this happening?”

He squeezed her shoulder and huskily murmured, “Who really knows? Greed? Selfishness? Stupidity? Religious fanaticism?”

A sad snort arose from her lips, and she struggled to hold back tears and not damn all the religious nuts to hell. For heaven’s sake, USAF Colonels didn’t cry. In particular, female officers couldn’t show such weakness or her troops lose respect. She’d rather be a tough bitch. But against orders, tears clung to her lashes, and she tried to blink them back. “So we blew ourselves up in the name of God?”

He pressed his lips to her temple. “Quite possibly. We’ll never know.”

He sounded so much more mature than his mere twenty-eight years, and she burrowed into his strength.

The ship rocked with shock waves, and she gasped. Blinding light and meteors hurled at them.

“Damn! The idiots really did it,” David seethed and gathered her closer and held her tightly as if he craved the human contact.

Anxious for affirmation she wasn’t alone in the big, cold universe, she clutched him. Tears dropped unchecked from her eyes and sobs racked her throat. Although she’d never married nor had children, her heart ached for her nephew and her sister, for all the lost souls, for lost dreams, for the terror and pain everyone must have felt.

Furious at the sons of bitches who’d turned the doomsday switches, she flung back her head and howled her rage, and she pummelled her fists against David’s chest. “We’re dead! This is the end of the human race. How could we?”

A million visions collided in her mind, changing with such lightning speed she grew dizzy and crumpled to the floor. Gasping for air, her sobs came on hiccoughs. Irony in her voice, she mused, “I never thought it fair to marry or have kids as I thought my mission too dangerous, that I’d be the one to die in this godforsaken space…and now we’re the only ones left.”

David hunkered down on his haunches and stroked her face. His intensely blue gaze bore into her. Very sombrely and seriously he said, “We weren’t the only satellite orbiting Earth. The Russians and the Chinese are up here, too.”

“If they didn’t get pulverised.” Acid tears burned her eyes and hovered on her lashes. They burned her eyes much like the explosion burned away Earth’s atmosphere.

Again, David pulled her close and rocked back and forth with her in his arms. “Shush. We’ll make it. We’re resilient.”

She peeked out the window at the spookily empty space—empty barring all the dust and debris from their home.

Damn it! It shouldn’t be so beautiful, like sparkling fairy dust.

Last Man on Earth is available at Total-E-Bound.

Read more departures here: Vivian Arend, Jody Wallace, Kelly Maher, Eliza Gayle, Lauren Dane, Taige Crenshaw, Shelley Munro, Savannah Foley, Moira Rogers

The Cover Gods Have Been Busy

I've been blessed by the cover art gods. Not just with one new cover, but three.

I came home from Black Friday shopping today to find this gem in my mail box.

"Crazy In Love" is a Lust Bite (for those of you unfamiliar with what a "Lust Bite" is, it is TEB's short stories) that will be released in March 2010. Lust Bite covers are all the same - one for M/F and a different one for M/M. We authors don't get a say for Lust Bite covers like we do for covers of novels and novelettes. Luckily, TEB always has beautiful covers and I think this one is gorgeous.

The next cover is for "Pirate's Booty" a short MMF which will be released by Ellora's Cave December 9th. Again I'm pleased with the cover.I love the colors.

The last cover I'm going to show today belongs to "Take A Chance" which is a free story I wrote for The Long and Short Reviews. I didn't expect to have a unique cover made for a free story, but I'm thrilled that LASR made a cover and a beautiful one at that.

This Thanksgiving themed story is available now for your reading pleasure at: http://longandshortarchives.blogspot.com/2009/11/take-chance-by-ashley-ladd.html

 

It's more usual that I am asked for input on my covers. When one of my stories is accepted for publication, before the final contract is even sent, I must fill out the cover art request and return it.

These requests ask specific questions such as:

"What is the book's title?"

"Is this book part of a series? If yes, what is the series name?"

"Describe the heroine."

"Describe the hero."

"What do you want shown on your cover?"

"Is there anything you don't want shown on your cover?"

"Give a brief cover blurb that will hook your reader and make them want to buy your book."

"Tell us about the book. What is it about?" *Sometimes an excerpt is requested.

Although the cover art gods are good, sometimes outstanding, they aren't mind readers. Descriptions need to be in-depth. Vague descriptions such as "tall, dark and handsome" for the hero doesn't help the cover artist. For instance, you might envision this for "tall, dark and handsome":

But if you neglect to mention skin tone, age, build, length of hair, identifying marks such as tattoos, facial hair, and clothing style your cover artist might envision this:

Or this:

 

 Whereas the second two pictures are of very handsome men, they may look nothing like the hero described in length inside your book leaving your readers to suspend belief, if they can.

The same is true for description of the scenery. Sometimes a little information is more dangerous than no information. If you have a story set in South Florida and neglect to tell the cover artist, especially if they know it is Christmas or winter-themed, you're at risk to get this on your cover:

Instead of this:

 

Or this:

They evoke very different characters and images, don't they?

I've been blessed. Most of my covers are gorgeous. One day I'd like to have oil paintings made of several to hang in my house. At the very least I'd like to frame large poster size images. Only a couple times did I get a blonde when it should have been a brunette character, or a short-haired character when the character's hair should have been long.

Usually when a mistake like this happens most publishers are willing to fix it if you ask nicely. However, cover artists are busy people and I'm sure it's not always easy to change a finished cover, so be as precise as possible when you make your first request.

Recent posts you might like to read:

Nanowrimo Thoughts 

To Nano Or Not To Nano - That Is The Question

Why You Should Consider Library Booksignings

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!


You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

Saturday Snippets: Arrivals

Today's theme for Saturday Snippets is "arrivals".

When I thought about this I thought about the arrival of a new child. But it can mean other things as well.

My morsel for you today is the arrival of the demi-God Leo, as in Leo the Lion. He's tired of being in heaven and wants someone fun to celebrate his birthday with so he skips down to Earth. His father Zeus is mad at him of course and wants him to learn a lesson so he can't get home without help. Meanwhile, without Leo's guidance all his earthly Leos start to run amuck and chaos ensues.


This was a fun story to write and I was thrilled when Ellora's Cave selected my story about Leo for their month of August Zodiac story in 2006. It's still available if you want to read the entire story. :)

By the way, I'm a Scorpio and my birthday is today. My moon is in Leo, however, and if you know anything about the Zodiac, I'm on the cusp of Sagitarrius.

This story began as a story directed at Scorpio - the heroine's a Scorpio like me with her moon in Leo. But Ellora's Cave asked me to write it for Leo babies and I was happy to oblige. I hope you like it.

So here's my birthday present for you.

Hubby gave me a new laptop for my birthday this year and I love it! However, it has a different version of Word and everything including blogger is acting wonky. I don't know if my links will work. I'll have to fix them after my daughter's softball tournament game which I have to run to now. If they don't work please stop by again later so you can also visit all the other authors in today's group to read their excerpts.

An Excerpt From: HEAVENLY HIJINKS

Copyright © ASHLEY LADD, 2006

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

The bell tinkled again and Clestie slumped against the counter and breathed a sigh of inordinate relief. “Hallelujah! She left.”

Then a duet of voices interrupted the blessed silence, and Clestie’s heart skipped a beat. She clawed at Elizabeth’s wrist. “Hurry. Lock the door. They’re multiplying.” Like an invasion of locusts and all the other frightening biblical stuff in Revelations.

Her cousin rolled her eyes and shook off her death grip. “Our aunt was revered.”

Clestie could go for a little mediocrity about now. “Do I have to go out there?” She’d rather face a swarm of locusts.

“Afraid so.” Elizabeth patted her back.

She wished Elizabeth had a canister of oxygen as well. She might have to purchase an inhaler of her own. Truly, she’d have to practice her deep breathing exercises as soon as she could get a few minutes to herself. The way things were going, she’d have to lock herself in the bathroom to get any private time. “Save me.”

Her cousin cracked a smile. “Welcome to the joys of entrepreneurship.”

Clestie checked her watch and almost groaned when it only emphasized how many hours of daylight were left. “You mean the headaches.”

The bell tinkled again…and again. By the time Clestie ran to the front, a mini mob had formed. She dragged in several deep, cleansing breaths. “I’m sorry, but we’re not open for business.”

“But we’re lost. We need guidance.” They started chanting, “Sun. Moon. Sun. Moon.”

A tall blond man with golden tresses cascading down his back pushed through the crowd. And he was only wearing a loincloth! But he moved oh-so sensually, with leonine grace and assured strides, that he could be forgiven anything. “Perhaps I can lend assistance. I am a master of reading the zodiacal charts and prophesying fortunes. I also read the tarot.”

Really needing that oxygen desperately now, Clestie was about to hyperventilate as her gaze took in the nearly naked Tarzan. Mesmerized by the man’s godlike beauty, Clestie’s skin tingled in decadently scandalous ways and she prayed that mind-reading wasn’t another one of his many talents. Her respiration shallowed and perspiration beaded heavily on her brow, threatening to run into her eyes. She dabbed at the tiny droplets with her fingers as she searched for her voice. After several muffled attempts, she finally croaked out, “You can?”

Elizabeth hissed, “Mr. Chippendales is stealing our business. Kick him out.”

Ignoring her cousin, Clestie stepped forward, trying not to ogle the man’s hunky bod. But his rippling muscles and shimmering hair made her pussy clench and her nipples peak so tightly that she was about to orgasm without anyone touching her. His intensely golden eyes and sparkling smile stole her breath. “Are you applying for a job?”

Heavenly Hijinks is available at: Ellora's Cave

Vivian Arend
Leah Braemel
Taige Crenshaw
Shelley Munro
TJ Michaels
Juliana Stone
Eliza Gayle
McKenna Jeffries
Jody Wallace
Lauren Dane
Juliana Stone
Kelly Maher
Shelli Stevens
Victoria Janssen
Moira Rogers