Ending With a Bang

I've been hearing a lot of newbies on various sites talking about their manuscripts being way too long, so they then split those behemoths into two or more books.

Uh, well, the main issue with this is, if your first book doesn't sell well, why would a publisher roll out the next one? Would you really like your readers to be stuck with an ending that's no more satisfying than cotton candy?

And also, when readers begin your book, you've invited them into a world that poses questions in their mind. You are obligated to answer them. You can leave threads to be picked up in another book, sure, but you must wrap up the story you're telling in some tidy, satisfactory way. If you're planning two or more books during your writing process, the whole structure of each novel will be different than if you split one and magically make two. Each book needs to have its own arc, main question, character goal(s), ultimate conflict and resolution.

If you're an established author, you can have a more dangling end, but a new writer has a difficult time getting away with it. The publishing industry is competitive enough. Why shoot yourself in the foot before you jump into the race?

Once you finish your project, work on something else in that same genre or vein. Yes, that same one, just be more terse at your next go. When it's finished and edited, many times over, seek representation for it. Once you sign with an agent, he or she will generally get a first read of your VERY polished duology/trilogy. You'll have a foot in the door plus some respect for your writing ability, and it won't look so much like you have diarrhea of the pen. Perhaps, you can then get a three-book deal. If you show you can write well and entertain the market you're after, it will benefit you greatly.

Every writer should strive to create a satisfactory ending. It doesn't have to be happy. It just has to answer the questions you posed at the onset in the most dynamic way possible. Sometimes there's a twist, tragedy and tears, or blissful kisses. Let your ending resonate. Avoid a dead ending that lands in the grave. End with a bang, something more than what readers expect. The conflict and story arc must lead to the perfect resolution to make readers just a little bit sad that they've reached THE END. Then they'll be salivating for your next book.
~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Annoyances Be Gone

Well, after having to wait six weeks or so, and longer if you count the time it was out of stock, I finally received my craved MBIII shirt from NFL Shop. Reebok can't keep womens' Cowboys shirts on the shelves, so acquiring even one has been nearly impossible. Ready to move on from my way-old Emmit Smith shirt, I've been trying to get another one for over a year but the choices for women have been too few and nonsensical. I swear Reebok had their shirt designer, surely some chick who doesn't follow football, go to the Cowboys website, note the quarterback then randomly select two offensive linemen, two defensive and call it a day. There should be a jersey for every Pro-Bowler. Don't ya think? At minimum. The new hire seems to be more aware of who's actually good and popular. Maybe this one's a guy, a fantasy football addict. That'd be my guess.

I falsely assumed a women's replica would be softer than a guy's. Guess they want every economically-challenged fan to suffer itch and discomfort if one can't afford the silkier, finer mesh and snazzy stitched-on letters used in authentic treasures, not that they make such jerseys for women, but I can dream...and storm the switchboard.

Getting a med refill for my son has also been a challenge. On Friday, I was looking for his bottle of Ritalin and found it, surprise, surprise, in a pitcher of water. Cuz, yeah, that's where I like to keep it for freshness. Well, liquid seeped in and turned the capsules to mush. My poor son cannot concentrate without it, and he just started second grade. Problem is, I just purchased that script last week. The Doc's office was no problem, but because there's a 30-day block, I had to find another pharmacy that carries it, which is like going on a quest for the Holy Grail, and then I had to convince the insurance company that I'm not a drug pusher. I offered to send them the bottle of mush, and they said that wasn't necessary and gave me the go-ahead for another refill, which is fantastic, cuz I really don't have an extra $185 for another bottle. An answer to prayer.

Oh, and my other son's kindergarden teacher, after meeting him for his screening, mentioned she wants to keep an ear on him to see if he might benefit from a speech Eval for his slightly slow talking. That would be a drawl, lady. Guess my husband needs to go to therapy too then, cuz my son picks up his laidback cadence from him. At least a bridge is now bridge and not a bree-idge. Well, all my minor annoyances have put me in a sick mood, so I wrote a little horror story—my first in the genre—exaggerated from real events, to share with my kind and loyal readers.

~ Carousel ~

Though the cherry chip cupcakes topped with pink icing and sprinkles—not the sugar crystals, but the little ball ones that come in five colors and crunch when you bite 'em—tempted her from the game table, gobbling one would have to wait. The birthday freak-show about to unfold in the leisure room of her mansion would surely be more delicious anyhow.

Aubrina grinned devilishly. Her unsuspecting pajama-clad friends were right where she wanted them: Holly flat on her back, Madison and Claire kneeling at Holly’s sides, Evie at her feet. They waited with fingers underneath Holly, preparing to hoist.

Aubrina had chosen the red-headed, freckly Holly as the mock-corpse…because she was the meatiest and the homeliest. Definitely harder to raise. Definitely the most hilarious imagining up in the air.

She kneeled down at Holly’s head. “We can begin.” Her twelve-year-old guests all giggled from nervousness or silliness. Aubrina figured silliness. Of course. The fools had no idea what to expect, but obviously they assumed this was some kind hoax or child’s play. They’d soon learn it wasn’t.

"Come on, guys, stop laughing. This is serious. It won’t work if we’re goofing off.” Buzzing with anticipation, Aubrina added, “Now…close your eyes and concentrate.”

When they obeyed and adopted gravity, she beamed, admiring her authority over them. She was, after all, the only one thirteen. She noticed Evie peeking with one eye open and her bottom lip quivering. “Come on, Evie, stop being a baby. You’ll spoil it.”

All eyes popped open.

“I’m not so sure about all this,” Evie bleated.

Why’s she scared? Aubrina squinted at her, wondering if she knew. She couldn’t possibly. “It’s my birthday party. This is what I want to do. Do it, or go home!”

Evie tucked her black hair behind her ears with shaky hands and wheezed, “But, it’s two in the morning.”

“Right! No one can take you home now. Looks like you’re doin’ it then.” Annoyed that everyone was delaying the fun, she barked, “Come on! Stop breaking the circle. Now we have to hold hands again to draw in good energy.”

When the players held hands and closed eyes, Aubrina nodded in approval. The stage was perfectly set. The lights glowed dimly. The pillows lay scattered like headstones. Her parents slept soundly in the east wing. Even a full moon lit the night sky. Everything was perfect, except for the absence of rumbling thunder and flashing lightning, which would have added tremendously cool atmosphere.

The only unsettling thing was the eye staring back at her. Glossy and black, evil and crazed, nearly glaring in disapproval. The dusty, old carousel unicorn she’d drudged up from the basement for charity seemed to ogle from the corner where it had been standing erect all week, awaiting pickup. Aubrina wasn’t especially charitable, but her parents left her in charge of cleaning out the basement to make space for the home theater she wanted. The stupid, colored catastrophe with its twisted golden spike had been a gift from them on some past birthday. The sixth one maybe. Why’d I want it? She’d begged for it but had hardly touched it since the initial gasp of surprise. It was large enough to sit on, but she’d never done so. Can’t remember. Oh well. Now it can clutter up some other kid’s basement. She couldn’t wait for the creepy thing to disappear. Especially now. Hopefully, Sarah wouldn’t mind it. She was sensitive. Aubrina should have considered that, but it was too late to move the carnival reject now.

Aubrina shrugged. “Okay. Let’s begin. Concentrate and believe…Everyone repeat after me…Light as a feather. Stiff as a board.”

After they chanted, “Light as a feather. Stiff as a board…Light as a feather. Stiff as a board,” for a couple minutes, Aubrina muttered, “Now, raise her up as we say it.”

The girls lifted Holly about a foot off the carpet and cheered their success.

“You did it,” said Holly from her bed of fingers.

“No. The spirits are here,” Aubrina whispered with her gaze roaming. “I’ll prove it. Lift her some more.”

Evie started to quiver and cry. “Stop it,” she sobbed, “please. This doesn’t feel right.”

“Shut up, Evie. Or you’ll make them leave. Lift her, I said.”

Aubrina smiled as the twits inched Holly up until she was over all their heads. Aubrina lavished the astonishment and awe of her friends, except Evie, who was still shaking.

“Guys,” Madison shrieked. “Her weight’s off me. Look.” Madison lowered her hands from Holly’s side with palms outstretched, fingers wiggling.

All hell broke loose. Screams erupted as everyone let go of Holly, who remained stuck in the air, held there on some invisible platform, despite all her squealing and flailing and kicking. She pretty much resembled a trapped pig. Definitely hilarious up in the air.

Aubrina burst out laughing as Madison tried to help Holly. Even with all the grunting and groaning, pulling and tugging, she wouldn’t budge.

This is the best birthday present ever. Sarah had definitely delivered the spookfest she’d promised.

“Okay, that was awesome. You’re so cool, Sarah. Let her down.” Aubrina expected Holly to drop like a side of cow, but she stayed where she was. Aubrina cringed.

It should have been funny, a joke on all them, but it began to feel eerie. Aubrina’s arm hair stretched for the heavens in tingly goose-bumps. “Sarah, put her down!” It’s not supposed to be like this. Sarah said she’d scare the guests, frighten them a little. She knew what this was. She'd wanted it, planned for it, begged for it. So why couldn't she keep her teeth for chattering?

The lights flickered. The neglected piano played, a tinkering broken-music-box sound building up to chaotic frenzy. A biting chill slithered into the room. Unable to see Sarah, not even as indigo mist, Aubrina shivered more from terror than heat's descent. She could sense Sarah’s fury.

Sarah spun Holly spun around and around like a record. Holly screamed and wailed in terror. The girls ran and hid wherever they could find cover. Aubrina knew there was no place to hide. They’d just have to wait out Sarah’s tantrum.

“I knew something bad would happen,” Evie bleated. “I told you.”

“Shhh. Quiet. She’s never this bad.”

Aubrina and her guests bellowed when Holly zipped across the room into some unseen wall.

Holly levitated above the unicorn until invisible hands jerked her down on the horn with tremendous force, impaling her through the upper back before crashing the hideous thing to the floor.

Aubrina couldn’t believe her eyes. A bloody horn stuck out of Holly’s tainted chest. Her eyes widened to saucers. Her mouth remained agape, frozen with a scream that never found voice. Her body convulsed and then ceased moving, leaving her in a ragdoll slump. It was the most gory sight Aubrina had ever seen…but also just a little bit cool.

As Sarah departed the game room with a door slam, the draft followed. The girls ran up to Holly shrieking. Claire puked and peed on the carpet as Madison grabbed Holly and shook her, sobbing for her to still be alive, even though she was clearly in some hereafter.

A shudder shook Aubrina from shoulders to knees. Apparently Sarah hates unicorns…or redheads.

The lights stopped flickering. The concerto ended in the off-key high notes. But the screams persisted, Aubrina’s especially. Not only had she witnessed her friend’s demise in a most gruesome way, but she was also quite peeved that her pretty, pink cupcakes now bore sprinkles of blood. I’m never ever asking for presents again...Not ever.

* * *

Annoyances be gone. After my little release of frustration in this creative burst of grossness, I feel so much better. Does it make everything hunky-dory? No. But at least I'm able to channel my negative emotions and splinters into something else, like one of those model ships. Using my creativity with a pen or paint brush has always been an outlet for me. What do you do to vent?

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Building Momentum in Your Middles

Well, I’m at the midway point of my novel, Sapphire Reign. My main character has just been declared dead. Is she or isn’t she? Things are looking grim. How’s that for a middle?

I’ve had ups and downs, drags and bursts of inspiration in getting to this point, which is mostly because of my just-wing-it style and penchant for intricate plots that weave mystery, suspense and romance with weirdness. It's predecessor has a little bit of weirdness. This one has a lot.

I’ve taken myself in uncomfortable and different directions in this endeavor, working with more description than I usually do, infusing deeper narrative internalization beyond direct thought, and also tackling grittier material and more physical scenes, both intimate and not. I also want to get in more action and physical altercations. I think that’s the most difficult thing for me to convey and show with words. I think I'd struggle with a gladiator battle.

Do you find yourself struggling with the middle, building up to that very important climax. The middle is basically everything between the onset of the story question and the end. We hear about story arcs and are told to think of our throughlines in this way, but that arched image may be hampering your writing.

An arc may not be the best visual of your book's structure. What if your story is more like a rollercoaster with many small hills and loops and one gigantic monster at the end that takes readers way up into the sky and then rockets them down below ground level into an unexpected, underground tunnel like the Superman ride?—Love that ride BTW!

With Kings & Queens, I didn’t suffer from the dreaded sagging middle at all because I built my novel like a rollercoaster and not exactly an arc. It doesn’t just go from A to B with one hump but takes readers over here to explore this option and then rockets them over yonder to check out that, all equally enthralling to get to the answers of who and why.

These little hills are called set pieces. They are things you can hint at or build up to. They are pinnacle moments of change, danger, revelation, and character experiences that take your story into delicious directions. If your story is begging to be a rollercoaster ride, then build little hills and turns along the way and make it so.

Some stories are more like an angular slope with little curve at all. Some are figure eights. Some are circles. Find the best shape of your story. No matter your story’s shape, everything needs to move towards a satisfactory end with good pacing. Here's a list of things you can do to fix sagging middles...aside from laying off the beer and Doritos.

* Increase tension/jeopardy/conflict

* Raise the stakes

* Add a twist

* Find ways to have your subplots affect your main plot like a domino effect

* Unlock a minor mystery then add another one

* Add a ticking time bomb

* Have your MC follow a solid but wrong path then set sights in a new direction

* Add a catalyst

* Add a cause that alters your character's motivation.

* Let a character adopt a new goal. e.g. The villain was after the little girl, now he's after your MC too.

* Give your character a new problem to deal with or goal to reach.

* Evaluate your subplots to make sure they're not creating drag

Your middle should never lose its intrinsic purpose as a connector from the onset of the story question to the end. Don't let it drag and sag. Make it gripping and interesting. Build momentum. You can do it. Write on!

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

What Do Literary Agents Want?

Every writer would love to pick the mind of a literary agent to gather info about what's hot and what's not, all the do's and dont's. Here's a link to an awesome, candid round-table discussion with four young literary agents that goes into fine detail about what they're looking for in a book and more. Very informative! Check it out. And once you get there, you'll find more agent Q & A's to jump to from there.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Running in Slow-Mo

Some days I zip along in my penning of Sapphire Reign and get so much accomplished and then other days writing 500 words is a tremendous effort. I wonder if picking a more simplistic storyline would have helped instead of going for something so bizarre and creepy. :)

Editing Kings & Queens, the book I'm close to shopping, is taking me forever. I keep thinking about audience and itch to tweak the narrative to make it sound less YA-ish. All but one of the POV characters are teens, and I write subjectively, with a close, deeply penetrating narrator, so the novel sounds youthful as a result. I wrote it for anyone who enjoys a story with well-rounded characters and a twisty plot, not just for teens.

I consider my audience to be both older teen girls and young women under thirty, and a sliver of teenage guys because I have an intriguing male protagonist, action, baseball and violence. But is it YA or adult? Publishers like you to choose one side or the other because they need to know how best to position it. The complexity and intricacy bring it right up to the crossover line, and I'm just not sure which side it will land on first. Most likely YA, with crossover appeal, so all my painstaking tweaking will be for naught. I can hear the Q & A now. Q. What made you decide to write for teens? And how did you adapt your style when you switched to adult fiction? A. ?????...I'm sorry, folks, our interviewee has left the building.

I'm just about finished, as my critique group has reached the end of my book, then I'll give it to my husband to proof my edits. So I'll be emailing queries very soon. Wish me luck.

Back to Sapphire Reign, my sequel to the aforementioned YA-ish book, which has three twenty-something adults, one preteen and one teen as POVCs. This one is definitely not YA. The tone is much darker, the narrative has greater breadth, the world is grittier, the killers are more vicious, and everything is askew. If my first book goes YA, do I shelve the sequel until I develop a readership? I'm not sure. They're both stand-alone works, but the second picks up threads from the first. I definitely want to hover in my suspenseful-mysterious-weird niche for a while. And my first book's positioning will determine what I work on next.

Ever feel like you're running in sludge because of certain details that are killing your creative drive? I love writing, it's all the extra things like finding a perfect tag for my works that boggle my mind, stress me out and slow me down.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

No Go But That's Okay

I've been offline for a few days. Well, I'm back...obviously. I got an email from ABNA and my entry did not make the cut. I'm supposed to get the excerpt reviews in a couple weeks. I'm curious about those.

I was glad that I wasn't chosen to move forward because after entering I was nervous about being in the contest. The more time that went by, the more I was hoping for a diss. ABNA is just not the route I want to take to become published. And if I somehow won, which is slim but still a possibility since someone has to, then I'd be roped into a crappy contract and be starting off my career un-agented.

There are few shortcuts you can take to get you to where you need or want to be in publishing. I'm excited about going on an agent hunt. Do I want to be rejected? No. But how exciting will it be when I strike a chord with that ONE. who is as passionate about my work as I am. The hunt is fraught with tears, struggle and fire, but that builds determination, perseverance and strength.

With my critique circle nearly finished with my MS, I'm so close to putting on my hiking boots and stocking up on printer ink and paper reams. Can't wait.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Writing Exercise: The Nanofic 55er

There are several forms of short fiction you can pen to get your creative juices flowing from drabbles at 100 words to droubbles at 200 words and nano fic pieces with even less. The two most common mini works are exactly 69 or 55 words. The 69er is freestyle, while the 55er is restrained by form. The 55er consists of 10 sentences. The first has ten words and each sentence to follow decreases by one word until you’re left with one word. I challenged myself. It's not that great, but here is my go at a 55er:

Sweet Justice

She slips into the shadowy room where I’m waiting...aiming.
Cheaters deserve the fire of steel, coldness of death.
Sweet justice was commissioned; it beckoned me here.
Who’d disregard candlelight dinners...midnight beach romps?
Hmph…I’m not judge, just executioner.
So why am I bleeding?
She deserved the bullet.
She’s smirking, leaving.
She knew!
How?

It's fun for exercise anyway. Give a 55er shot.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Will Books Become Kindling?

I'm not much of a gadget nerd. Actually, that's an understatement. I'm totally in a deficit...not packing muggers' delights of any sort. I don't have a cell phone much less a Blackberry or any other hand-held, buttony communication tool. I know! Crazy right? Nor do I have satellite radio, a Mark of the Beast tracker on my car, a digital pen, an X-Box or a PS...whatever number they're on now...15?

I don't get the point of Twittering, especially via phone, and have failed miserably at it, making it so evident that micro-blogging is NOT for me. In like six months, I think I've posted twelve times or something like that. Wanna follow me? I'm totally thrilling, not boring at all.

I did finally catch up to this age and get an MP3 player for exercising and running, but that's a fairly new addition to my pocket of nothing but gum.

Now Amazon is tossing Kindle out there like it's the next best thing since sliced bread and cocaine-free soda. No not Kindle. Kindle2. Excuse me. We've upgraded. Something tells me, I'm not in the target market for this revolutionary book-not product.

I've read plenty of books on my computer screen, some phenomenal, but I just didn't get absorbed into that fictional world like I would've had I read the same thing on paper. There's a difference. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it matters. Yes, a Kindle2 is convenient. You can order a "book" on Amazon and *poof* it's just in there like magic. No wait. No postage. You're saving trees and ink. Benefits galore, but it's just not for me. Even if I were compelled to snatch up every new thing off the belt, I still wouldn't buy it. I like to curl up with a book and a mug of cocoa and just read.

I just hope the Kindle2 doesn't have people burning books to save landfill space or turning libraries into museums. What a sad day that will be.

PAPER or SCREEN? Choose wisely, my friends? There may be no turning back.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs?

Review & Get Feedback

The web is a great, big ocean in which you can find an amazing critique site or online workshop that fits your needs and gets you the feedback you need to grow as a writer and polish up your MS.

Getting a book ready for publication is not a solitary endeavor. Once your book is written and has been edited by you and some of your close buds, it's time to bring it to a table with strangers. The revision process should be a group effort. Many writers make the mistake of thinking that a spit and polish is good enough and the manuscript is ready to shop. Nope. I know it's soul-baring and scary to put your work out there for scrutiny, but if you're serious about having a writing career, you need to get a little uncomfortable and realize outside critique is your next step.

Here are some pitstops to consider.

If you write novels and are unpublished or self-published, you can post your novels and get critiqued for free at Authonomy, which is run by HarperCollins. The site brings writers, readers and publishers together in a community that celebrates and recognizes good writing. Editors read the most popular manuscripts each month in search of the best, undiscovered writers out there, so this is a good way to polish your work while getting your foot in the door at the same time. With the pickiness over first publication rights, I'm leery about posting at Authonomy. But I thought I'd through the option out there since many writers use it.

If you write YA, you can post to Inkpop, which is similar to Authonomy.

Some people have gotten a lot of followers and feedback for their work at Wattpad. I wouldn't post my whole work there, but that's just me.

I've belonged to TheNextBigWriter for almost three years, and I've been extremely happy with the feedback I've received. My work is sooo much stronger because of the awesome people who've taken the time to read my book. Even if I become a famous author, as long as publishers don't lock me in a closet, I'll still be in need of feedback, and hopefully I'll be allowed to get it here. TNBW has a yearly membership fee of $49.95.

FanStory is also a read and review site for poems, short stories, novels, other books and scripts that has a membership fee of $48 for a yearly subscription or $69 for two years. You can also use it to advertise books that are in print and sold on Amazon. It's worth the fee just for that and the frequent contests it runs, most offering $100 prizes. For instance, here are the two Valentine contests:

Valentines Love Poem

Write a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word. Your love poem can be fictional or non-fictional. It can be humorous or a serious love poem. The choice is yours. $100 prize for the winner of this contest for poets.

Deadline: Feb. 14th

Valentines Story

For our Valentines Story Writing Contest we are looking for stories that have Valentines Day playing a clear role in the storyline. Creative approaches welcomed. $100 prize for the winner of this writing contest.

Deadline: Feb. 14th

I signed up as a reviewer at FanStory to check out the lay of the land. So far, this site seems to be busier than TheNextBigWriter, as it claims over 4400 reviews have been received so far today, but I'll have to check out the quality of the feedback.

Some of the most popular free critique sites are the Share Your Work section at AbsoluteWrite Water Cooler, Writing Forums, Scribes, Christian Writers, Critters [for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror]. Critters looked pretty good and professional if you write in those genres.

I don't really think critique forums are a great place for posting entire works because of their disorganization, but if you're looking for feedback on your first few pages, first three chapters or a clumsy section, it could be very beneficial. The pay sites seem to attract more serious writers and readers, rather than just cheerleaders.

Many writers have a fear of their work being stolen when it's online. While that is somewhat valid, the possibility is way overblown. You have a much bigger threat of never being published, especially if you don't have a good product. If you're a writer who fears plagarsim, you'll have to balance the slim risk of theft versus the benefits of receiving the type of feedback that can help you make your work more marketable. For me, it's worth the risk. You can always stagger your work to so it's not all up at the same time.

When looking for an online writing community, look for these important characteristics to get the most out of your membership:
♦ Diversity
♦ Honesty
♦ Encouragement and tough love
♦ An excellent writer/reader perspective
♦ A good review exchange
♦ Privacy - only use a workshop on a password protected site, which keeps your First Publication Rights intact.

It's impossible to please every reader. Someone will have issue with your work, especially once it's published, that's reality, but with a well-written, finely polished product, at least you can say you put out your best.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Stubborn Characters

While working on a novel, have you ever had your characters insist your story take certain turns or that you must bow to their desires and needs? Yeah I know. I DO know they're not real, but they often feel very real, and I swear my characters have demanded directions and traits that I never anticpated or wanted to use in the story. These loud, bossy creations really seem to exist on another plane or in a different dimension and are aiming to break into this one. That's a definite mark of good character development I suppose.

In my book Kings & Queens, there's a town rumor about a girl disappearing. Originally, I had put it in merely to add some texture and history to Cedar Creek, the main setting for my story, and give some pre-existing fear of the woods. Children avoid it. When I got into the thick of my story, two of my characters wanted me to make them responsible for what happened to the girl. I never intended on making that a bigger part of my story, but they practically shoved me into affixing the urban legend to them. Maybe they thought it would make them look cooler or something. I don't know. So I did as they asked and my work became stronger, adding one more mystery for readers to uncover.

Then in my sequel, Sapphire Reign, my main character has a little brother, who's ten. For some reason, he wanted to be called Brighton. Sorry if that's your name, but I'm not a fan of it. It's ALL British. No way around it. It's very stuffy and pretentious. My MC is Majesty and her sister is Skye and the name "Brighton" doesn't really fit with them. A name like Adonis or something more exotic would match better. Well, maybe not Adonis, but you know what I mean. I tried to brainstorm and come up with another more suitable name to complete the set, but I could not ditch the name Brighton. That's who he wanted to be. Not Bryton or Bryten. Brighton. It fit him. He liked it. End of story. Sure. Who am I but the lowly author, subject to characters' demands.

So, I thought, well maybe that name has some great meaning I'm unaware of, like strong defender or something. Nope. It just means a Brit or a place in Britain. I think he likes the bright part of it, as he aims to be an encourager. And he's brilliant, hence bright. Maybe he just has a quirky sense of humor or a dash of conceit.

I know every writer sees and feels their character steering their work, but do your characters ever take control of your story and make demands you cannot ignore or omit? That stubborn insistence is annoying, but those dimension busters are usually dead on right. So I tend to cave and give in.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.