Category: Writing
Insecure Writer’s Support Group
My blog schedule this week has been turned upside down. I can’t believe I almost forgot about IWSG.
As always, we have Alex J. Cavanaugh to thank for gathering like minded writers together to vent and support. This month, we also need to thank Misha Gericke and Joylene Nowell Butler. Even a Ninja Captain needs some help every once in awhile.
My goal this month with IWSG is to stave off some future insecurities. As I mentioned before, I’m attending a few writer’s conferences this year. The first one is March 22-25, the Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival. There is this great session about using the city of New Orleans as the setting in your novel. Since, my first novel is set in New Orleans, I can’t wait.
Here’s were I need help. I’ve been thinking about how to introduce myself. I was thinking something like, “Hi, my name is Sydney, I write romantic comedies are you a writer/agent/publisher/editor/reader/blogger?” Then depending on their answer, the conversation will continue accordingly?
I am joking. I want to leave an impression somewhere between “let’s give her a 100,000.00 advance today” and “Did you hear about that girl Sydney? Stay away from her.”
What is the best way to introduce yourself at these event?
Btw, check out my new business cards. Suggestions welcomed. I haven’t gone to print, yet.
Stardust Summer Blog Tour – Title Trauma and Cover Art Challenges
When searching for the perfect title and best cover art for my latest book, Stardust Summer, I’ll admit that this novel presented me with several challenges. My first two novel titles came into my head fully formed (Stay Tuned and Dancing Naked in Dixie), but, this time, finding the right title took almost as long as it did to type, edit, and proofread the entire manuscript!
Stardust Summer explores the tragic loss of a daughter-father relationship and how those ripple effects play out over the course of several weeks in Upstate New York. Single mom Grace Mason is wrenched out of her idyllic, quiet existence as a teacher in Mississippi when her estranged father suffers a heart attack. Grace’s journey is a physical and emotional one, as it forces her out of her comfort zone—and straight into facing a multitude of issues she’s kept buried since childhood.
While the story does examine family dynamics, parental drama and broken bonds, the manuscript is not purely a tearjerker. The novel also explores opportunities for forgiveness and second chances—and finishes on an uplifting note (for those of you who like happy, but not cookie-cutter-perfect endings).
One day, about two months ago, after reviewing what felt like one hundred possible combinations for my title, I stumbled across Frank Sinatra’s version of the song, “Stardust.” The haunting melody seemed to fit the mood and manuscript, and I added the “Summer” to represent the season during which the book takes place.
Thankfully, the cover concept came a little easier, with many thanks to my brilliant creative designer, Damonza. I sent him recent photographs of Keuka Lake in Penn Yan, New York, where the story takes place. Perhaps I’m biased, but I am thrilled with the result and feel that he captured the essence and magic of a “Stardust” time of the evening—a deep blue twilight—when the color begins to fade from the day and the moon and stars peek over the horizon.
The water’s edge image that Damon chose for the cover also accurately depicts Keuka Lake’s shoreline. The photograph bears uncanny resemblance to the scene from my parents’ cottage; a vision which I can bring to mind in a moment’s notice. When I close my eyes, I can almost hear the water lapping against the dock, the soft purr of fishing boat engines, and the flap of birds’ wings in swaying trees overhead. The air is sweet and fresh, perfumed with peach groves and berry-ripe bushes along gravel paths.
I also love that the title and cover design represent the end of a day, which, on a conceptual level, can also represent the conclusion of Grace’s relationship with her father. While this transition isn’t easy, the stars in the sky make me think of heaven and afterlife, which bring comfort to Grace, her son, Evan, and Henry’s wife, Kathleen.
I’ve often spent long evenings on the dock outside my parents’ cottage, contemplating life and love—I’d like to think that Grace would be doing the same—and knowing that, for her, the sun will come up in the morning. Part of Grace’s journey is the realization that forgiving her father and forgiving herself free her to live the rest of her life in a healthy and happy way. She becomes a better mother, a better friend, and a better daughter, even after her father’s death.
Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of the title and cover art. The creative process—given enough time—is always rewarding. Sometimes, if you wait long enough, I’ve found that the answers just appear when the time is right. (Who knew that Frank Sinatra could have helped me with this title?)
How do the titles of books and cover art impact the novels you buy? What are some of your favorite, most memorable book titles?
Title: Stardust Summer
Author: Lauren Clark
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Number of Pages: 280
Blurb:
Single mom Grace Mason doesn’t believe in miracles, magic, or love at first sight. She likes the quiet life, complete with her eight-year-old son, their tiny house, and her teaching job. For Grace, happiness means that nothing much ever changes in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Then, one thousand miles away, tragedy strikes. A massive heart attack leaves Grace’s estranged father comatose in an Upstate New York hospital. While a team of doctors fight to keep Henry Mason alive, Grace and Evan rush to his bedside to say their final goodbyes.
Henry’s passing brings little closure for Grace, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to her new surroundings. What begins as a short trip results in an entire summer spent with Henry’s second wife, Kathleen, and her next-door neighbor, Ryan Gordon, the town doctor. When a series of unlikely events lead to Evan’s disappearance, Grace must face her worst fears to find her son and bring him back home.
Stardust Summer explores the complexities of forgiveness, what it means to be a family, and the fabulous possibility of falling in love—again
Where to find Lauren:
Website: http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com/
Blog: http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lauren-Clark/235315706518284
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenclark_bks
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/laurenclarkbooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5280308.Lauren_Clark
Buy Links:
Tour Stops:
February 20 Chick Lit Goddess Guest Post February 21 Forget The Housework, I’m Reading February 22 I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Author Interview February 23 Hanging With Bells top ten list February 24 Reflections Of A Bookworm Review February 25 Book Reviews by Dee Guest Post February 26 The Book Bag Review February 27 A Buckeye Girl Reads Top Ten List February 28 Chick Lit Cafe Author Interview March 1 Happiness, Passion, Love & Faith Guest Post March 2 Books, Etc. Review March 4 My Devotional Thoughts Author Interview March 5 Amys Booket List Guest Post March 6 Chick Lit Plus Excerpt March 7 Colorimetry Excerpt Or Top Ten List March 8 Christine Raines Guest post Tracie Banister Character Interview March 9 Kaisy Daisys Corner Review Guest Post March 10 Reflections of A Book Addict Guest Post March 11 So Little Time, So Much To Read Review March 13 A Bookish Affair Review March 14 Reading Reality Review/Guest Post March 15 Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Books Guest Post March 16 Jersey Girl Book Reviews Guest Post/Review/Excerpt March 18 The Romance Bookie Review March 19 Chick Lit Reviews & News Author Interview March 20 Literary Musings & Life’s Little Lessons Learned ReviewMy Weekly Update – Writing Assignments Accumulate
Writing Assignments
In my quests for finding employment, I applied to a writing network and was accepted. My first assignment is due on Friday. So, hyped about this. In addition, I have a guest post to complete by Friday and two chapters of edits due on Monday.
And, to top it all off, I sign up for a Short Story Contest, which is due on Friday. This is where I need your help. The contest sets heats and everyone in my heat for this first round has to write in the same genre and use the same character. I thought is would be a great challenge until I saw the genre. I have to write a fantasy story. I don’t have anything against fantasy, I just don’t read it and don’t know much about the genre. It’s not the same as science fiction, right?
Huge favor – share with me your favorite Fantasy writers? I need a point of reference.
Do you have Ten Minutes?
Harry Widdifield, formerly know as Sevestian Winters (check out his guest post on my blog a couple of months ago, brilliant) has penned a new blog and a new journey in life as the Teller of Ten Minute Tales. His goal is to write a short story a day. He currently has two volumes for sale. I suggest you pick them up. Great stuff and you can read a story in 10 minutes. Who doesn’t have 10 minutes.
Have you read Harry’s short stories? What do you think?
Post to Ponder
PBC’s Successful Launch by M.L. Swift – I am so proud of my book club.
How to Push Past the Bullshit and Write that G-ddamn Novel: A Very Simple No-F–kery Writing Plan to Get Shit Down by Chuck Wendig – Sometimes you just need some one to break it down for you.
You are Uncomaparable by MarcyKate Connolly – This goes along with my favorite quote from Bird by Bird, “Jealousy is the business of comparing my insides to other people’s outsides.” It’s not worth it, so stop doing it.
What Came First: The Scene or The Word? by Mike Reverb – I struggle with this as well. I see the scene in my head like a movie, but can’t seem to capture the same visuals and drama when I put it down on paper.
Things Every Writer Should Have by Nicole Pyles – another message about not comparing ourselves to other along with other great tips.
New Followers
Jay Finn
Martha
Jim Allen
Super Dull Boy
Tuan Ho
Tazein Mirza Saad
Elizabeth Hein
Next Week’s Schedule
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday
Wednesday – His Allue, Her Passion Blog Tour
Thursday – Back to the Future Bloghop
Friday – Stardust Summer Blog Tour
Prossia’s Universe: Built From What-if by Raphyel M. Jordan
It is my pleasure and privilege to introduce you to Mr. Raphyel M. Jordan.
He joins us here at Sydney Aaliyah.com as my guest to share with you an exciting post and some art work he created for his fantasy novel, Prossia.
Welcome Raphyel.
_______________________________________________________________
You know what? The real world’s boring. I mean, seriously. Look outside. Did you just see a dragon or UFO fly by? No? Then I rest my case. And if you said yes. . . maybe it’s time to talk to a professional.
One of the reasons why we’re seeing sci-fi and fantasy films strike it big in the box office is because people love being able to get lost in a world beyond imagination. It’s our natural human nature. Classical stories like Homer’s epic poem, “Iliad,” centuries beyond centuries old, is a strong evident to that statement.
Human beings love to imagine the what-if scenario. What if there was magic? What if I had superpowers? What if aliens actually did exist? With those small sentences, with those few words, galactic governments have been put on the brink of peril, wars between elves and goblins have been raged, adventures that have challenged the test of time have been born, and that was exactly how “Prossia” was created.
After having a basis for the story in mind, I asked myself, “What if I wrote a story about aliens?” Sure, that’s simple enough, but that thought would branch off into more avenues and streams.
- What if they lived on a single planet?
- What if it was an entire solar system?
- What if the aliens were spread across an entire galaxy?
- What if there weren’t any even humans around, like so many other stories?
Did you see what happened? Did you see that snowball-turned-avalanche coming down the mountain? When I asked myself if my story was going to be about aliens, I was already challenging myself to explain why these people’s world was the way it was, without even realizing it.
And granted, universes aren’t made over night, so creating the Prossia Universe has been a very long process. The other challenge of the universe comes from the fact that this is indeed a science fiction story. Meaning, I can’t just say something is the way it is by magic. This genre requires a little fact, as much as feasible. So, when I made my main character, Aly, come from people who had infrared vision, had super reflexes and agility, and could form energy out of their hands, I actually had to explain that Aly has infrared vision because it helps her see approaching threats. I have a separate file listing the anatomy of my aliens, from what type of cartilage and muscle tissue would be possible for Goolians to move the way they do, to the extrasensory perceptions they have when it comes to their ability of using fusion to create a ball of plasma.
And that only covers one of the current nine races! What about the other aliens and their designs? I wanted them to look a certain way, but there had to be a reason why. Humans and other animals look the way they look due to Earth’s size, its closeness to the sun, the ecosystems it has, and tons, I MEAN TONS, of other factors. So, it’s only natural other life-forms would evolve to fit their environments as well. That is, after all, one of the key functions of life. Seriously, look at how diverse the biology on our very own little rock is.
So, more questions:
If we must adapt to our surroundings, what if I make aliens that can adapt to their surroundings through an advanced acclimation process? If that were the case, wouldn’t that mean what took us millions of years to do capable of being done much sooner? And how much sooner am I talking? Am I still talking millions of years, or just a few thousand?
And still, the questions continue, and guess what else, so does the world I find myself lost in. Maybe some people would think such world building is just wayyyy too much trouble. I, on the other hand, think it’s totally awesome. Being an artist and a writer, I like being able to create, so what’s cooler than creating an entire galaxy!?
To think that I studied Civilization, Psychology, Ethics and Values, Biology and Ecology just so I could have some ideas for Prossia’s Universe. Now, I’m not saying that’s what all writers should do in order to build their worlds. I was just fortunate enough to be in my college years while I was writing “Prossia,” and I needed to fill in some class electives. 😛 To me, researching is good, and the deeper I go into a universe, the better. Still, in the end, none of this could’ve happened if I asked the one thing that humans love to ask. “What if–” . Why don’t you ask the same question? Who knows what wonders you’ll bring.
Be sure and pick up a copy of Prossia:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads
To Learn more about Raphyel M. Jordan: Author website Twitter Novel Facebook Page
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 