Continuing a Story

You may be wondering what I have been up to? There was the carefully thought out plan. Have a small break, work on another project, then begin editing. The only problem with this is less than week after finishing a first draft, I was itching to keep going with the story. Oops!

The Quandary

At the moment it’s all about figuring out how to cram in editing between writing. You see, book number 5 wants to write itself! How did that happen? All stories are different from beginning to end. Whether that’s fast or slow, easy or really annoying.

Changing Rhythm

Why would books in the same series by completely different to write? Each book contains a story that has some heavy lifting to do to enrich the overall plot. All the while characters grow and change. It’s complicated and this time it’s the penultimate story. There’s a serious reveal before the very last book in the serious and I am struggling not to write.

Writing Flow

Since things are a little topsy-turvy I thought I would go with the flow and see what eventuates. It may change things around a bit, but that’s half the fun of being a writer.

10 Random Facts About Me Tag

Reaches final part of the first draft for Book 4, gets nominated for 6 Blog and Instagram Tags!!!

It always happens when you are really busy and excited about a project. My writing speeds up near the end. The last week I wrote 5 times more than usual, and had to remind myself what sleep was. It really is like reading the final pages of a book, you just want to know how the story ends.

It’s catch up time and I would like to thank Claire @brizzlelassbooks for the nomination. She has a fantastic review blog with books I need to add to my wish list 🙂 So here goes!

10 Random Facts About Me

1. I am fueled by tea. A nice english breakfast tea is the best for cold weather.
2. Biscuits go really well with tea. I especially like dunking them in the cup 🙂
3. I do have a desk, but I prefer writing on my laptop while sitting on the couch.
4. I taught the cat how to use the backspace button and delete words. This was not intentional 😦
5. I listen to a recording of rain while it is raining outside. You never can be too careful with setting ambience.
6. I forget when I am wearing headphones with a cord attached to the laptop. Especially when I have to reach over for the dictionary 😛
7. I buy books to stock up the bookshelf. It also doubles as a library, you never know when a friend wants to borrow one.
8. I read more than one book at a time. It’s like visiting old friends, I pack them in a small carry basket so I know where to find them.
9. I only bend a book partway when reading. It helps to protect the spine.
10. I use random pieces of paper as bookmarks. A ‘to do’ list, receipt or envelope are all useful for finding the right page.

Thank you for the nomination 🙂

The Changing Fantasy Genre

For this post I am going to take you back to the dark ages. The days before the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Travelling into the city to the largest bookshop was a wonderful adventure. The beautiful old two-storey building was filled from top to bottom with books. There was only one section that sparked my interest. It consisted of an area less than one side of a bookshelf. Yes, you heard right. Part of the last row was filled with science-fiction. In that tiny space young adult fantasy was placed side by side with fantasy. Gasp! Yes, this is where I found the first edition of Sabriel by Garth Nix. Wedged near the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The children’s section was far away at the other end of the shop. It was here, tucked neatly away. That the first Harry Potter book appeared.

Growth of Fantasy

Much has changed since then. My last visit to the city revealed walls covered with bookshelves for fantasy. That’s not all, there were two whole bookshelves in a dedication Young Adult section. That’s right, the genre had grown. Not only had it expanded, but it had merged with other genres. Forming all sorts of hybrids and niches. No longer could I be assured of the beloved fantasy tropes. That were eagerly anticipated. Hiding away in the depths of these beautiful covers was a terrible secret. Some of the fantasy tropes were missing.

On the Search for Fantasy

For my part, I look for keywords. That will lead to disappointment or an underwhelming experience. The truth is, in the last few years it has become impossible to tell a hybrid from a fantasy. The cover and blurb look the same. Relying on the key words ‘fantasy’ and ‘epic fantasy’. It’s only the reviews that give the game away. So, there I am in the middle of the shop searching the interwebs for author names. Hoping for a sign in the reviews that the book I am about to buy is a hybrid. I must confess to being caught out. When the reviews repeat the same keywords ‘fantasy’ and ‘epic fantasy’.

When the Cover Says ‘Fantasy’

You can imagine the disappointment that happened next. As I settled down on the couch with my comfy blanket and hot chocolate. Dreaming of taking over the world and fighting worthy villains. The excited anticipation of adventure, magic and danger. Reading through 100 pages and waiting for the story to begin. Making it to 200 pages and still waiting. More than halfway and I was aware of the loss of an entire set of fantasy tropes. I love fantasy, but there is something I cherish even more… Honesty. When a beautiful book with a brilliant blurb promises fantasy that is what I long for.

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