The newest addition to the Shearin family -- "Nimble Andy"

Today's blog is a little different. I took a vacation day from my day job to be at home and help the newest member of our family make the transition from race track to home life. We've adopted another greyhound. : )

The picture does NOT do him justice. This is one magnificent boy! I'll post better pics on the PHOTOS page as soon as we get them. Andy's as sweet as he can be. Gracie's in love.

Andy arrived from the recently closed Melbourne track in Florida. The following is the description from the Triangle Greyhound Society where we've been members for years, and who we're adopting Andy through: "He is a handsome fawn male with black eye liner and dark muzzle. Andy is very friendly and constantly wags his tail. He easily adjusts to new situations and gets along well with other dogs and the cat in his foster home. He likes to play with his stuffy toys and flings them around his head. He also enjoys wading through the kiddie pool on hot days. He usually sleeps upside down with his feet up in the air. Andy will make a wonderful companion for someone who likes to take him for walks or let him run in a fenced yard."

So I'm writing from the dining room table today, surrounded by dog beds. Gracie and Andy are sleeping next to each other with Lucy's bed nearby.

A new idea for a regular blog topic: Laurie had a fabulous idea from my question on yesterday's blog. How about a bio of each character (with history) to go with my character list? I love it. Though I'd have to do it in such a way as to not give away any plots from future books. Laurie's idea gave me an idea: Host a weekly Character Question & Answer session. The "Character of the Week" would be available to take and answer your questions. Of course the character couldn't give away any plots from future books, though that wouldn't be a problem for Tam; being elusive is what goblins do best. ; )

What do you think? Sound like fun?

What would you like to see on my website?

I've had a request for an addition to my website that I think is a great and fun idea: a list of characters for each book, who they are, and how they relate to the story. I might even try my hand at character and place name pronunciation (that's also been requested). I can drag my college Linguistics books out and put them to good use. ; )

Another thing I'm going to start doing is every Monday at the top of my post, I'll list the book(s) I'm reading that week. I'm trying to carve out more time to read for enjoyment (very important for a writer), so posting what I'm reading will push me. After all, it'd get embarrassing to keep listing the same books for weeks at a time.

What else would you like to see? This website exists to spread the word about my books to you, my readers. And I'm trying to be informative, entertaining, and mildly educational at the same time. It's all about you guys. If you're shy about responding to this blog, send me an email at lisa@lisashearin.com. I love getting fan emails. When I'm stuck or just not having a good writing day, your emails always pick me up. And I'm happy to announce that your emails now outnumber the Viagra spam. WooHoo! I find it hysterical that I'm getting emails on how to enhance a body part that I don't even have.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Lisa

How I plot a book (Conclusion)

This is the conclusion of yesterday's blog "How I plot a book."

BTW -- Beginning on Tuesday (since Monday is the Labor Day holiday here in the U.S.), I'll post another chapter (or at least a big chunk) from MLTF that didn't make it into the final version. Yep, more "Outtakes from the cutting room floor" back by popular demand.

After going through the process I described yesterday, I now have a big, bloated Word doc of scenes, snippets, dialogue and ideas that I may or may not end up using. The file for the book I'm plotting now is 77 pages. My next step is a careful read-thru, highlighting any elements that jump out at me. I cut & paste those up to the top of the file. Then comes the "sitting/pondering/staring at the computer" part of the writing process. Apparently during this time, Lucy (our Jack Russell terrier) doesn't think I'm working, and starts bringing me toys to throw for her. Gracie the Greyhound wants to be petted. To them (and to be honest, to any non-writer human), it probably looks like I'm about to go to sleep or have an out-of-body experience. Being a sucker for big, brown doggie eyes, I play and pet as commanded, while still sitting & pondering. It's multi-tasking at its finest.

Over the course of the next few hours/days/hopefully not weeks, I decide what the big plot points are that I want to include. I make a bulleted list. Of course this list can be added to, changed, or trashed completely depending on what comes to me at 4 a.m., or in the shower, or driving home from work. The subconscious mind is a wonderful thing. It works 24/7. I don't work 24/7 (though my husband would be the first to dispute that claim).

Once I've got that bulleted list, as much as it kills me, the best thing I can do is NOT sit at the computer. I want to work; but what I need to do is read, listen to music, sit in the tub (glass of wine is optional), etc. -- any activity that doesn't require conscious thought, to let my subconscious writing brain do its thing -- take the bits & pieces and turn them into the big scenes that'll form the core of the book. During this time, the first scene of the first chapter comes to me as well. Once I have that first chapter and the big scenes, I'm ready to start writing.

How I plot a book (Part 1 of ??)

Since I'm smack dab in the middle of plotting out a book, I thought it'd be a good time to tell you my process (such that it is). I've always been fascinated with how other writers work. For the writers out there, I'd love to hear about your process. Respond to this blog or email me if you'd like to share.

For me, plotting a book is just like writing one -- some parts are inspired and I can't write fast enough, other times I'm completely and utterly stuck (like right now), and am wondering if pounding my head against the nearest wall will shake loose some ideas. Tempting to try, but I'd better hold off on that one. I've had a concussion before. Not fun.

My ideas come to me in bits and pieces, parts of dialogue and chunks of chapters. Whenever this happens, I write it down (good old notepads), then transcribe it into my laptop. Important safety (and sanity) tip: ALWAYS, ALWAYS back up everything you've written EVERY DAY. I cannot stress the importance of that. I have a flash drive at my day job office, I keep one in my pocketbook, I have my laptop, and when I get a draft finished of a work, I back it up on Derek's computer too. So all of my work is stored in four different places, with one of those being outside of my house. Don't put all of your backups in one place; kinda defeats the purpose.

I'm digressing, back to plotting. I have bits, pieces and chunks of ideas, dialogue and scenes that I've accumulated for years. I know I'll use them eventually, so I just keep adding to the file, and throw absolutely nothing away. As a result, I have well over a hundred pages (single spaced) of stuff to browse through and choose from.

When I'm starting a new book, I have the basic "big picture" in my head of what I want to do -- this always changes once I get into the actual writing. But to start, I sit down and read through The File. It's kinda like going shopping. I'm browsing and select the parts and pieces that appeal to me. I copy what I think I might use out of The File, I never cut. That way, I always have an intact master file of everything. I paste the bits & pieces into a new Word doc. That's my starting point.

Tomorrow: What I do with the "bits & pieces."

The 27 steps to feeding a greyhound breakfast

"The 27 steps to feeding a greyhound (second breakfast)" or
"27 Reasons Why I'm Late for Work"

Note: Due to Lisa's writing-induced condition I have forbidden her from blogging for at least one more day. ; ) She has had a relapse of Book-Brain Syndrome again...She told me we were going to have wine with fried fish for dinner. Then after dinner we would take a glass of fish and get in the jacuzzi. I preferred taking the wine.

Prologue:

Mornings are chaotic around our house. Lisa gets up first and feeds the cats. She has to watch over them, because Boris (remember Boris?) will eat Natasha's (remember Natasha?) food. So, when Lisa has deemed the cats through, she takes the dogs out; brings them in and feeds them. Lucy (the Jack Russell) is not persnickety about her food (usually). Gracie is. Very persnickety. So after Lisa leaves for work, it's up to me to give Gracie the rest of her breakfast. This is how it went Friday morning:

Gracie eats her breakfast.

1. I put her bowl down.
2. She sniffed it.
3. She took a mouth full to her bed, dropping kibble along the way (apparently so she can find her way back).
4. I picked up her bowl.
5. She came back.
6. I put down her bowl.
7. She ate a few bites.
8. She left.
9. I picked up the bowl.
10. She walked around the kitchen island.
11. She came back.
12. I put down her bowl.
13. She ate five bites.
14. She stopped to swallow.
15. She sniffed the closet door.
16. She looked at me (for reassurance no doubt).
17. She ate five more bites.
18. She paused.
19. She sniffed her food (obviously to make sure it was the same food).
20. She ate some more.
21. She paused.
22. Repeat steps 19 & 20.
23. Repeat steps 19 & 20.
24. Repeat steps 19 & 20.
25. Repeat steps 19 & 20.
26. Repeat steps 19 & 20.
27. She finished.

"Excuse me. Human Resources? Yeah, how do I put down "Feeding Dog" on my time sheet?"

Derek Shearin, Arm Candy...etc...

1001 Ways to Sucker Punch a Villain

As a Friday treat, here's another guest blog from Derek (the hubby).

"1001 Ways to Sucker Punch a Villain"
Or "Why don't I have a book contract?"

When Lisa gets stuck on a scene or a plotline, and she just can't seem to write her way out of it, she often tells me about it (like I have a choice of not listening). Being the ever helpful spouse, I try to find ways to assist Lisa when she gets stuck. So one day she emailed me saying "I'm killing brain cells trying to figure out how Raine outwits the [insert undisclosed villain] without using magic."

So I offered her my helpful suggestions:

• Raine could blow pixie dust into the villain's eyes; then, sucker punch him/her.
• Raine could jerk the carpet out from under the villain; then, sucker punch him/her.
• Raine pokes him/her in the eye with a stick; then, sucker punch him/her.
• Raine could cut the rope holding up the chandelier that would fall on the villain's head; then, sucker punch him/her.
  

Then there's my personal favorite:

The earth-shattering ka-boom [ah-la Marvin the Martian: "Where's the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering ka-boom!"]. No real need for a sucker punch here.

While I think these are great ideas, she really doesn't share my enthusiasm. I have to admit though, she is a published author. My book, "1001 Ways to Sucker Punch a Villain" just hasn't been picked up yet...hmmm...go figure!

Derek Shearin
Husband, Business Manager, Arm Candy

Coolest writer tool EVER!

I recently bought the coolest writer tool ever--a digital voice recorder. No more fumbling in my glove box for a notebook when I'm stopped in traffic. No more having to jump off the treadmill when I think of that perfect line that's been eluding me. No more trying to decipher my notes after a phone call with my agent or editor. And when I'm rehearsing for a book reading, I can have the unparalleled joy of hearing how twangy and Southern I sound, and being able to say, "Please tell me I don't sound like that. Elves with a Southern accent -- jeez!"

And the recorder is incredibly tiny. The manual is twice as thick as the recorder. And it has "bells & whistles" that I'll never come close to using. I'll have to get Derek to show me how to download MP3s. (I hate reading techie manuals.) And the coolest of all cool, just a push of a button and the recorder opens, comes apart, and one half of it plugs right into my USB port to download files.

Though I'll have to be careful how and especially where I use it. If I'm planning an evil character's demise, it'd probably be a bad idea to stand in line at Target and say into the recorder: "How should I kill him? Hmmm, let's see. Oh, I know! Evisceration. Perfect!" Though if I was trying to attract store security, that'd probably do the trick. A good rule of thumb is: Always record responsibly.

So how much use have I gotten out of my great, fabulous and utterly cool new toy? Uh, none. I'm hopelessly addicted to pen and paper.

Interview from Enduring Romance (Part 2 of 2)

Today wraps up the interview I did with Kimber An of Enduring Romance, a blog where you can find book reviews, author interviews, really cool articles, and it's the home of the world-famous Cyber Launch Book Parties. Kimber An graciously hosted a Cyber Launch Book Party for MLTF. It was a blast! Prior to the party, Kimber An asked me a few questions. The link to Enduring Romance is in the LINKS list to the right, as is a link to her personal blog Star Captains' Daughter. Kimber An's review of MLTF and my Cyber Launch Book Party are in the "June archives" of Enduring Romance. Enjoy!

What experience do you hope readers will take away from reading MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND?

I hope they have fun. That's all. Just fun. There's too much depressing crap going on in the world to have to put up with that in a book. I just want to give my readers a couple of days or hours (some of you have plowed right through it), of pure escapist fun. I cut my fantasy-writing teeth on David Eddings, Raymond Feist and Terry Brooks. I LOVED their characters. These were people you wanted to hang out with, and couldn't wait to visit again in the next book. I've had people tell me they felt that way about the characters in MLTF. That is the highest praise anyone could give me. That's my purpose right there.

Can you tell us a little bit about your next novel, ARMED AND MAGICAL? When is it due out?

Armed & Magical is due out in May of next year. It picks up a couple of days after MLTF ends. Needless to say, Raine isn't going to catch up on her sleep anytime soon. Let's see. . .by the end of page three, Raine's already got big problems--an assassination attempt on the archmagus, an encounter with an enemy from her past, and an entirely too public display of her Saghred-enhanced powers. Later. . .Tam has not one, but two, deep dark secrets from his past that he'd rather keep buried. (Of course they don't stay that way.) Piaras is now a Conclave college student studying spellsinging, and that voice of his attracts way too much of the wrong kind of attention. Mychael has his hands full with Raine, and with trying to keep her from falling prey to the darkest side of the Saghred. Let the fun continue!

Interview from Enduring Romance (Part 1 of 2)

Today and tomorrow, I'll be posting an interview I did with Kimber An of Enduring Romance, a blog where you can find book reviews, author interviews, really cool articles, and it's the home of the world-famous Cyber Launch Book Parties. Kimber An graciously hosted a Cyber Launch Book Party for MLTF. It was a blast! Prior to the party, Kimber An asked me a few questions. The link to Enduring Romance is in the LINKS list to the right, as is a link to her personal blog Star Captains' Daughter. Kimber An's review of MLTF and my Cyber Launch Book Party are in the "June archives." Enjoy!

***Potential techie glitch -- Some of you still may not be able to see the links to the right of other blogs/sites. If you can't, just scroll to the bottom of the blog. Trust me, they're down there, just keep scrolling. Webmaster Todd is on the case.

Can you share the journey you took in creating MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND? What first inspired you? Did it flesh out right away or did the details come later? How did the characters reveal themselves to you?

Let's see if I can remember that far back. What eventually became MLTF started in my college days as a result of wanting something to read, but not being able to find anything in the bookstore that I thought I'd like. My roommate got tired of my complaining and said, "Why don't you just write something yourself?"

So I did.

And it sucked.

But I kept going. I finished that one and wrote another book, a sequel to the first one. It sucked only marginally less, which meant (at least in my own mind) that I was getting better. Hmmm, maybe being delusional is a big part of finally getting published.

Those two books formed the base for what eventually became MLTF. Raine, Mychael, Chigaru and Phaelan were in those first two books (though vastly different than they are now). Piaras didn't come into being until I was on the second draft of MLTF. (What can I say, the kid's a late bloomer.) Piaras was just supposed to be a "fetch & carry" character--there for window dressing, maybe say a line or two, etc. Then in the scene around Chapter 6, when Raine comes home and is talking to Tarsilia, and Piaras goes to open the shop. . .suddenly one day when I'm working on that scene, Raine hears Piaras singing from the next room. The kid had a magnificent voice. That got Raine's attention (and mine). A few days (or maybe weeks) later, when I was writing the scene where Raine is meeting Ocnus Rancil close to The Ruins. . .suddenly Piaras is there getting himself yanked into a dark alley. What the hell??

I've since learned that if a character gets yanked into an alley or thrown out of a bar, that character is worth paying attention to.

Can you share your process for taking a story from rough draft to submission-ready manuscript? What's your best advice on how they can improve the craft of writing to meet publication standards?

For me, the first draft is for getting the story down, the second draft is for filling in the blanks, third draft is for buffing, polishing and making it pretty. Though most of the time there ends up being five drafts--each one adding more detail and texture to the one before. Later drafts are the real fun. Then I basically keep doing it until my gut tells me I've finally got it right. Between drafts, I like to let it sit and simmer for a week or two, then when I come back to it, it's fresh to me, and more details reveal themselves.

That's the annoying part for me. I'm ultra-organized and methodical. My writing brain apparently is not. When I was doing the final draft of MLTF (Book 1), the first two pages for Book 4 came at me out of left field. Boom. There they were. So I stop and write them down. I've got notebooks full of scenes and dialogue that come to me like that. I write them down, knowing that somehow they'll fit into a story somewhere at some time. My brain doles out ideas like puzzle pieces. It's up to me to figure out where they go. Frustrating as hell, yet fun at the same time.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Kimber An's interview tomorrow!

Writing & Critique Groups

I've had another question concerning writing and critique groups. Should you join one? Should you go it alone?

It's all personal preference. For some writers, sitting at a desk can get awfully lonely; they thrive on interaction and feedback. For other writers, sitting alone at a desk is bliss; and while they may enjoy socializing with other writers, when they write they write alone.

I'm the later kind of writer. When I'm really digging into a project, my office door is closed, my headphones are on, my favorite writing music is playing. You can't get much more alone than that. I guess I work like that because way back when I started writing, I didn't know any other writers, and no writers equals no writers' groups. So I started working solo, and have worked that way ever since.

It's also rare for me to discuss plot details of a project I'm working on with anyone. And my husband and my agent are the only people who will see parts of a work in progress. My agent (Kristin Nelson) gives awesome feedback that is always right on target. She has never been wrong. Kristin is also my first reader once a project is complete. Unless I have a problem I just can't get past, the first time anyone reads a book I'm writing is when it's finished and as polished as I can make it. Then it's off to Kristin for review/feedback. After Kristin, it's off to my editor Anne Sowards at Ace Books. Nothing gets past Anne. ; ) She can spot a hairline crack in a plot from a mile away.

Once I have Anne's stamp of approval, I'll print a couple copies of the manuscript for select friends and family who've been waiting for a new Raine/Mychael/Tam story.

Interview from Fantasy Debut (Part 2 of 2)

Below is the rest of the interview I did with Tia Nevitt of Fantasy Debut, a blog that does "as-she-reads-it" teaser reviews of debut fantasy novels (with no spoilers). I was fortunate enough to be Tia's first review. The link to Fantasy Debut (and Tia's review of MLTF) are in the LINKS list to the right, as is a link to her personal blog Third Time a Dreamer. Enjoy!

***Potential techie glitch -- Some of you can see the links to the right of other blogs/sites, some of you can't. For those of you who can't, the links aren't gone, they're just hiding from you at the bottom of the blog. Trust me, they're down there, just keep scrolling. Webmaster Todd is trying to herd them all back up here where they belong.

Your website mentions that you have a day job. When do you do most of your writing?
Lunchtime, break time, nights and weekends. I keep a notepad in my pocketbook, Jeep, and pretty much every room in the house.

Do you have a copy of your cover pinned to your office wall at work?
On the wall isn't necessary. ; ) I have a huge monitor--the MLTF cover is my wallpaper. I'm going to have a poster-size print made and have framed for my office at home. Aleta Rafton is the artist and she did such an amazing job--that cover deserves to be 24 x 36.

Is your boss worried that you might leave?
I've assured them that I love my job and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

Please share your publishing story and/or any writerly advice that you may have.
My first two manuscripts were rejected by every publisher in New York. I kept writing, and reading, and rewriting, and learning--and most importantly, I refused to be discouraged or to give up. I wrote every day, regardless of if my "muse" was visiting or not. Muses are fickle creatures; don't depend on them for inspiration. Believe in yourself and don't let anyone belittle your dream. I was blessed to have the complete support and understanding of my husband and family. Believe me, it helps. Writing is solitary; the only way you're going to get to where you want to be is through discipline and determination. I've been told that I was just too stubborn to give up. ; )

Read, write, rewrite--and don't give up!

Interview from Fantasy Debut (Part 1 of 2)

Today and tomorrow, I'll be posting an interview I did with Tia Nevitt of Fantasy Debut, a blog that does "as-she-reads-it" teaser reviews of debut fantasy novels (with no spoilers). I was fortunate enough to be Tia's first review. The link to Fantasy Debut (and Tia's review of MLTF) are in the LINKS list to the right, as is a link to her personal blog Third Time a Dreamer. Enjoy!

Can you give us a teaser about Raine's next big adventure?
Let's see. . .by the end of page three of Armed & Magical, Raine's already got big problems--an assassination attempt on the archmagus, an encounter with an enemy from her past, and an entirely too public display of her Saghred-enhanced powers. Later. . .Tam has not one, but two, deep dark secrets from his past that he'd rather keep buried. Piaras is now a Conclave college student studying spellsinging, and that voice of his attracts way too much of the wrong kind of attention. Mychael has his hands full with Raine, and with trying to keep her from falling prey to the darkest side of the Saghred. Let the fun continue!

What is your favorite scene in Magic Lost, Trouble Found?
Mychael and Raine in Mychael's bedroom is definitely a favorite. I also had a lot of fun writing the scene at the goblin king's masquerade ball.

What scene gave you the most trouble?
The final confrontation between Raine and Sarad Nukpana in The Ruins near the end of the book. That took a lot of time and rewrites to finally get it right.

Can you recall any particular sources of inspiration for this novel?
I read in a lot of genres: fantasy, detective, romantic comedy, mystery, romantic thrillers, political thrillers. I think that over the years they all just sort of melded into MLTF.

Have you finished any other novels besides Magic Lost, Trouble Found?
Oh yeah. I have two finished books. Small pieces and parts of them made it into MLTF.

If so, can we expect to see any of them in print or are they permanently
trunked?
They're in the closet in my office and that's where they belong. I consider them my "practice books."

The Classic Symptoms of Book-Brain Syndrome

The Classic Symptons of Book-Brain Syndrome -- or "We're Sorry All Circuits Are Busy. . ."

Hi. It's me again. Bet you were expecting Lisa. I'm Derek -- Arm Candy, Husband and Business Manager. You may have seen me on such posts as "You and me and Note Pad makes three" and "Guest blog, Take 1."

During the time that Lisa was writing Book 2 (aka Armed and Magical), she became hyper-focused on the book. What are the symptoms of being hyper-focused? Well, I knew it was real bad when I was sitting in the our old house waiting for her to come home from her "other job." Our old house was built in the late 30s/early 40s and didn't have a garage, so we had to park in the driveway. Unlike now, where our new house has a two-car garage. . . and we still have to park in the driveway. That's another story, though. I had been home for about a half hour or so, when I heard her open the door.

"Derek?" she tenatively called out.

"Hey!"

"Oh!. . . I thought you had left the door unlocked when you left this morning. Where's the Tahoe? I didn't see it."

"Uuhmm. . . it's parked where it always is. Right next to where you park."

"You're kidding?!" she said with disbelief.

"No, I'm not kidding. . . You mean you drove up the driveway, parked your Jeep, got out, walked around the Jeep to the passenger side (right between the Jeep and the Tahoe), got your purse out, and didn't see the Tahoe?"

"Well, apparently." Was all she could say for herself.

So, how do you tell if your author has Book-Brain? Other symptoms may include (but are not limited to):

• Putting an open can of dog food in the pantry rather than in the fridge.
• Putting the empty dog dish in the fridge.
• Burning dinner because he/she was too busy jotting notes on "The Note Pad" (see previous post: "You and me and Note Pad makes three").
• Putting an opened gallon jug of milk in the cabinet (and the box of cereal in the fridge).
• Washing a bright red shirt with white unmentionables. . . ok, this hasn't actually happened. . . yet.

Yes, these and many more. So you may be asking, "Derek, is there a cure or even a treatment?" No. But we have a team of scientists and doctors working around the clock to try and discover a cure. Won't you help? Give generously to the BBSF (Book-Brain Syndrome Foundation).

"Uh. . .Lisa, dear, that goes in the refrigerator."

Derek Shearin

Husband

Arm Candy

Buisness Manager

The importance of book covers

All of us have favorite authors, and when one of their books comes out, we go to the bookstore and buy it. But what about those times when our fav author is "between books" and we're on the prowl for something to read, something new from someone new. Unless you've had some "must read" recommendations from your book buddies, you're on your own.

So what do you look for when you're cruising the shelves? Something that catches your eye, right? And in my opinion, nothing grabs attention like a good cover. In fact, it's critical.

We all have our cover preferences -- that cover style that tells us "this is your kind of book, buy it now!" Ideally, the cover conveys the type, tone and target. The type of book (epic fantasy, urban, paranormal, etc.). Tone -- meaning serious, light & fun or somewhere in between. The target for cover art is its target audience, and the publisher and their artist/designer for that particular book include elements that the people who buy that kind of book will find irresistible. It's an art. Kudos to the designers and artists.

I find my cover irresistible. ; ) Aleta Rafton (the artist for MLTF) rocks! It's exactly the kind of book I'd want to read, and if I were a reader and not the author, I'd snatch it off the shelf in a hearbeat. Others find my cover cheesy, but still loved the book. It's all about preference. One person's fabulous is another person's cheesy.

Author endorsements for a book

I've recently been asked how helpful (sales wise) is it to have author endorsements on a book cover.

In my opinion, I think it's incredibly helpful, critical even. When I go into a bookstore, I usually have a particular book (or books) in mind that I want to buy. But as we all do, I scan the shelves, and if something catches my eye, I'll pick it up. One of the things that catches my eye is if I see an endorsement from one of my favorite authors.

For example, a few years ago I was in my local B&N scanning the shelves, looking for something new. I spotted Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy. The cover was cool, but what snagged my attention was the blurb on the cover from Jim Butcher (as you regular readers know, he's my fav fantasy author). If figure if Jim likes it, I might like it. I picked it up, read the synopsis on the back, scanned the inside -- and boom, bang -- I was hooked and have been a fan of Catie's ever since. A cool side story is that I'd never have imagined that a blurb from Catie would be on the cover of Magic Lost, Trouble Found. ; ) Thanks Catie!

So whether it's a cool cover, or a blurb from a favorite author -- anything that gets a potential buyer/reader/future fan to pick up your book is a good thing.

Outtakes from MLTF (Part 5 of 5)

Today wraps up the chapter from Magic Lost, Trouble Found that didn't make it into the final version. It features Karl Cradok, the crime lord of Mermeia, and more of Quentin. In streamlining the book, my editor and I decided that the Karl/Quentin subplot had to go. But both Karl & Quentin are still in reserves as characters to be included in future books. Karl's a slippery one, and Quentin's known for getting into everything -- so who knows where they'll turn up?

If you want to read the entire chapter in one sitting, just scroll down to Monday's post and work your way up. Enjoy!

Karl's hideaway in The Ruins was in a sprawling compound that was in better shape than many of its neighbors, which is to say it still had walls and a roof. Janek was right. The grounds and interior of the house were littered with bodies. I knew they wouldn't be there for long. We were in The Ruins, so anything eatable would be gone within the hour if not sooner.

Janek and those who went with him had already scouted the house. He had told me that Quentin wasn't there--alive or otherwise. That wasn't what the tracking stone was telling me. I picked it up loud and clear as soon as we within sight of the buildings. I stood still, listening intently, trying to get a fix on the stone's location.

Mychael appeared at my side. "Anything?"

"I'm getting something from inside."

"The tracking stone, or something else?"

"Both."

Mychael didn't ask what that something else was. He knew, and so did I. It was obvious from the moment we stepped through the front door. A Gate had been opened here. I went straight through the house, Mychael and the others close behind. I stopped in a central room, a hole in the domed roof opening it to the night sky. Four hallways radiated off from it. None of the choices looked very promising, and all looked entirely too dark. Mychael stepped a few paces into each of them, his lightglobe bobbing at his right shoulder. All were clear as far as I could see. My shoulders suddenly tensed.

"Mychael?"

He sensed it at the same time.

The air brought something foul, and it hadn't been there long. Mychael took the lead and I let him, his steps cautious now, his shielding spell covering us from wall to wall. I followed close behind, a protection spell of my own poised on my lips.

"Little seeker."

The voice floated around me, soft and silken--and inside my head. A voice belonging to Sarad Nukpana.

"Stop," I told Mychael, grabbing his arm.

"He cannot hear me. Only you."

The goblin sounded very pleased with himself. I reached out with my mind to strike--and hit what felt like a wall. Unlike his shaman who'd contacted me yesterday morning, Sarad Nukpana was safely cocooned in wards. There wasn't a thing I could do to reach him. Warm fingers caressed my throat. I gasped. Nukpana obviously wasn't having the same problem.

The goblin laughed, a low, rich echo in the air around me.

Mychael tensed. "Where is he?" Apparently he couldn't hear Nukpana's words, but he could feel his presence.

"I've left you a gift, little seeker."

Then he was gone, but he left behind a sickening certainty. I ran to the end of the corridor. There was no danger. The danger had come, gone and taken Quentin with it when it left.

In spite of the cool night air, I had broken out in a sweat. The price paid for wearing leather armor. The sickly sweet stench grew stronger, as did the sense of the other. It was slight. There was barely anything left, but it was there, and unmistakable.

A Gate, or at least the remnants of one, and it hadn't been closed for long.

What I did find was partially opened door to a small room--a room that until a few minutes ago had held my friend. The body of one of Karl's men blocked the entrance. He hadn't even lived long enough to get the door completely open. Sarad Nukpana had been that fast. The Gate had been small. The goblin grand shaman had known where he was going and what he wanted. He had come, taken and left. Quick and all too easy.

I froze. There were two objects on the cell floor, deliberately placed, one on top of the other, precisely where I couldn't help but find them. I recognized one immediately; the other took a moment longer to register. The first was Quentin's tracking stone. The second sent a wave of pure panic flooding through me, leaving in its wake an icy, numbing fear. Carefully placed on the stone was a simple russet-brown feather.

A feather from a nightingale.

Outtakes from MLTF (Part 4 of 5)

Today and tomorrow will wrap up the chapter from Magic Lost, Trouble Found that didn't make it into the final version. It features Karl Cradok, the crime lord of Mermeia, and more of Quentin. In streamlining the book, my editor and I decided that the Karl/Quentin subplot had to go. But both Karl & Quentin are still in reserves as characters to be included in future books. Karl's a slippery one, and Quentin's known for getting into everything -- so who knows where they'll turn up? ; ) Enjoy!

After a half an hour or so, nothing had jumped out of the dark and tried to kill us or merely eat us. You'd think that would have made me feel better about our situation, but it didn't. It was too quiet.

Janek held a hand up and stopped. "If Karl's posting guards or setting traps, this is where they would start."

"And they aren't always of the two-legged variety," I added more for Phaelan's benefit than anyone else's. This was his first trip to The Ruins. I hoped it wouldn't be a repeat of last night.

"I'd like to take a few men and scout ahead," Janek told Eiliesor.

The Guardian gestured to two of his men, the dark-haired one from Tam's place, and a shorter, swarthy Guardian I hadn't met. "Riston. Feroc. Go with Chief Watcher Tawl."

They disappeared into the trees. Phaelan and two of his crewmen moved back into the shadows to keep an eye on the way we had come. I drew my sword and poked at what looked like a fallen log to make sure it was a fallen log. Satisfied that it was, I sat down. I was learning to take my rest when and where I found it. I could be alert and sit at the same time.

Eiliesor dimmed his lightglobe until the glow from it was no more than a handful of fireflies. It was just the two of us in the almost dark--and a pair of crickets that considering we were in The Ruins, were probably a lot bigger and meaner than they sounded.

We heard something else out there. It wasn't The Ruins' normal residents. These were two-legged visitors. A nice change of pace. I casually got to my feet. One of my swords was already out, and I added a long dagger for good measure. Mychael silently cleared his blade from its scabbard. Phaelan and his two crewmen stayed where they were and waited. I guess the Guardian and I would be playing bait.

It looked like all of Karl's boys weren't in hiding. They were just waiting for better odds. They all knew Janek and his watchers. When they left to scout ahead, they deemed the rest of us easier pickings. To them, I was just a woman. And in the dark, Mychael and Phaelan were just a couple of elves. If luck was with us, and their numbers weren't against us, we should be able to give them a nasty surprise.

I never thought I'd be glad to see Karl Cradok's bashers, but considering what I knew lived in The Ruins, Karl's boys were definitely the lesser of a whole lot of evil. When they stepped out of the trees, they looked relieved to see us, too. But that didn't make them any less inclined to kill us--well, at least some of us. I wondered if Karl wanted me alive. But just because they might not want to kill me immediately didn't mean I was going to return the favor.

The fight was quick and nasty. They were humans, so their night vision wasn't the best. Elven eyes were only marginally better in the dark. So we all made do with what we had. Mychael fought like he didn't need eyes. He killed efficiently and in complete silence. Glad he was on my side.

I was neither efficient, nor silent, but that didn't make my efforts any less effective.

Apparently there were more than a few of Karl's boys wandering in the woods. Phaelan and his two crewmen hadn't joined us yet. I could hear them about thirty yards away. Phaelan was morally opposed to quiet, too--as well as fighting fair. Another Benares family trait.

Two bashers came at me at once. I put the mud I was standing in to good use. Let's see if they could fight by smell. The first handful found its mark, but the second flew wide. The one I missed came at me in a straight attack. I beat aside his blade with the flat of my dagger. He knocked my blade out of my hand with a cudgel. Then he closed distance.

Up close and personal isn't my favorite way to fight. Most of the time, my attacker is bigger and stronger than me; and having a pair of arms the size of my legs squeezing the air out of me limits my options. I still had my long dagger, but it was squashed to my side along with the arm that was holding it. The other I had managed to get up to my chest. It was crushed there, but then, it didn't need to go far. I went limp. An advantage of being a woman. An advantage, because most men will think going limp means you've either fainted or given up. Fortunately, Karl's boy was most men. He loosened his grip and looked down at me. My hand was at the base of his throat--as was the switchblade strapped to my forearm. He never saw it coming.

The other basher had cleared his eyes of most of the mud, but was still spitting out the rest, and looked as if slitting my throat was the nicest thing he wanted to do.

He died with that expression on his face. He fell forward slowly, a dark shape protruding from between his shoulder blades. Janek was standing twenty paces behind him, I'd imagine with one less throwing knife in his personal arsenal.

The rest of Karl's men had made themselves scarce, and weren't being quiet about their retreat. From the sounds of things, they were getting out of The Ruins by the quickest way possible. I found myself wishing I could join them.

Janek retrieved his dagger. "I leave you for five minutes, and you attract every living man within a mile radius."

"Unfortunately, they're all trying to kill me," I shot back. "What did you find?"

Janek's expression was grim. "All the dead men within a mile radius."

Outtakes from MLTF (Part 3 of 5)

For this week, I'll be posting a chapter from Magic Lost, Trouble Found that didn't make it into the final version. It features Karl Cradok, the crime lord of Mermeia, and more of Quentin. In streamlining the book, my editor and I decided that the Karl/Quentin subplot had to go. But both Karl & Quentin are still in reserves as characters to be included in future books. Karl's a slippery one, and Quentin's known for getting into everything -- so who knows where they'll turn up? ; ) Enjoy!

The most likely place in The Ruins for Karl to hole up and hold Quentin would be on the northern section of the island where the servants of the island's great houses had lived. It was dark, dank, and had slimy things aplenty. No doubt Karl felt right at home. Mermeia's criminal elements tended to steer clear of the renegade mages. The mages preferred the ruins of the great houses, so the criminals preferred to be somewhere else. Even though Karl considered himself a mage, he was bright enough to know when he was outgunned. It didn't matter how many bullyboys you had working for you, some things you just didn't want to run into in the dark.

Karl's fiefdom in The Ruins wasn't easily accessible due to boobytraps and nature's barriers, and was easily defendable for the same reasons. We were going in with Guardians, Phaelan's crew and now members of the city watch. That would give us more than enough for backup and to cover the exit and make sure there was one when the time came to leave. I had no doubt that ours would be a fast exit. Nothing could make a night go from bad to worse like coming in one way only to find it blocked when you wanted to leave.

Janek and Riggs were leading the way and the rest of us were content to let them. I was a firm believer in letting the qualified do their jobs. The watch had commissioned the maps and memorized them, and the watch had the unfortunate task of patrolling The Ruins on a regular basis. As far as qualifications went, it worked for me.

After a couple dozen yards, it got even darker, and entirely too quiet. Goblin eyes would have been hard pressed to see through that murk. The murk wasn't a natural part of the landscape. Then again, what was?

The blond axe wielder, whose full name I'd discovered was Vegard Rolfgar, shouldered his way to the front. "Lightglobes or torches?" he asked his commander.

"Globes," Eiliesor said.

"Torches are also weapons," Phaelan pointed out, a short saber in his hand.

"So are globes."

While the globes ensured that anything and everything out there could see us, we would also know when anything and everything came running at us. As far as tradeoffs went, I'd take it. The pale blue lightglobe Mychael produced illuminated moss-shrouded cypress, reeds, rotten ruins of wooden structures, and black water. Too much black water. Depths unknown, habitants undetermined, and as far as I was concerned, both could stay that way. Something was draped across the path some twenty feet ahead that I hoped was a tree root. Eiliesor went first, followed by Riston Kirkwode, the dark-haired Guardian from Tam's place, then Janek and Riggs. I followed with Phaelan. Four others followed at a distance to make sure nothing snuck up on us from behind.

Eiliesor was non-committal about our surroundings. Phaelan didn't like it at all. Janek and I didn't like it either, but then we'd been here before and had good reason for our mutual case of the heebie-jeebies.

The path forked in three directions. The one in the center curved after another twenty feet or so. Karl was trying to get crafty. I'm sure those paths led somewhere, but it wasn't anywhere we wanted to go, and nothing living down there was anything we wanted to meet. Being able to find things wasn't only relegated to objects or people. I could also find my way. Usually.

Everyone had an off day.

"Which way?" Mychael asked.

"Straight up the center," I said. It was the one without any forks. It was also the darkest.

Those who guarded Karl may be the biggest, but they weren't necessarily the brightest. He tried to keep it simple for them. Keeping them from stumbling into some of the The Ruins' less desirable areas kept them alive to protect him a little longer.

"Is that what the beacon is telling you?"

"No, it's what I already know."

Phaelan peered into the gloom. "Hmmm, looks dangerous." He nudged me in the ribs and winked. "You go first."

"Me?"

"That necklace of yours hasn't let you get killed yet. I'm thinking it's not going to stop playing watchdog now."

Chivalry wasn't dead, but sometimes when it got around Phaelan it took a nap. Apparently, he thought the beacon was dependable. I'd like to have shared his confidence.

Outtakes from MLTF (Part 2 of 5)

For this week, I'll be posting a chapter from Magic Lost, Trouble Found that didn't make it into the final version. It features Karl Cradok, the crime lord of Mermeia, and more of Quentin. In streamlining the book, my editor and I decided that the Karl/Quentin subplot had to go. But both Karl & Quentin are still in reserves as characters to be included in future books. Karl's a slippery one, and Quentin's known for getting into everything -- so who knows where they'll turn up? ; ) Enjoy!

Discouraging Karl's criminal impulses was the job of the city watch. Normally, I'd be in favor of letting Janek and duly appointed protectors of public safety do their jobs. But what we might have to do to rescue Quentin might fall outside of what Janek considered legal and just. Phaelan's opinion was legal and just be damned. Usually my own moral code ran closer to Janek's. Tonight I was siding closer to my cousin's concept of right and wrong.

"Janek Tawl," Eiliesor noted.

I was surprised. "You know him?"

"By reputation only. By all accounts a good man."

"He is. He's also a friend of mine--or at least he was. I'm not sure where I stand right now. I've been less than forthcoming about my present situation."

"Understandably so."

"I need a few minutes alone with him."

The Guardian nodded once. Phaelan's men were predictably cautious around the watch and had made themselves scarce. There was enough dark to go around for everyone. That just left me and Janek. I liked him. He liked me. Then why were my hands sweating?

Janek sauntered towards me. "Evening, Raine."

I met him halfway, and noticed I wasn't the only one armed for ogre. Bladed weapons, blunt weapons, and a talisman or two I sensed hidden on him would ensure the instant and permanent regret of anyone who tried to question his authority.

"Hello, yourself," I said.

"Busy night planned?"

"I'd prefer quiet."

Janek arched an eyebrow at my own assortment of weapons. "Bristling this evening, aren't we?"

"Yeah."

He indicated my long knives. I had my usual, plus a few extra. I wasn't in the mood to get caught short.

"You know the rule goes that if you need more than two of those, you've got too much trouble," he said.

"What can I say, story of my life."

Janek glanced around at the men I'd brought with me. Unlike Phaelan's crew, the Guardians weren't shy and were standing out in plain view, and in uniform. Eiliesor played by the book. I also suspected he wanted Karl to know exactly who was prying him out of his hidey-hole.

"Conclave Guardians and the nastier members of Captain Benares' crew," he noted. The watcher was quiet for a moment, rocking back on his heels. "You ready to tell me what's going on?"

"You sure you want to know?"

He looked directly at Mychael Eiliesor and thought about it for a moment. A prudent man, Janek.

Both men were keepers of the peace and enforcers of the law, and like most in that profession, were highly protective of their turf and skeptical of outsiders. Mermeia was Janek's turf and Eiliesor was from out of town. Being a Conclave Guardian, Eiliesor was completely within his rights to keep Janek in the dark about anything and everything he chose to do while in Mermeia, but it remained to be seen if either were inclined to extend professional courtesies and share.

"I'll probably wish I didn't," Janek finally said. "But yeah, I want to know." He nodded towards the canal to The Ruins. "That where you headed?"

I nodded.

"Last time we went in there, it wasn't a quiet night--or day."

"Don't remind me."

"You look like you could use a little reminding."

I snorted. "I spent last night in there. You think I'm going back by choice? Karl Cradok attacked the Fortune tonight and grabbed Quentin Rand. Karl's in there. Quentin's in there. I want Quentin back, so that means I'm in there."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened at Nigel Nicabar's?"

If I was going to come clean, I may as well be sparkling. "And Simon Stocken's warehouse." Now for the one that would really get his attention. "And probably all of the sorcerer abductions."

Janek's expression darkened. "Why haven't you come to me before now?"

"Because until this morning, I was the unwilling guest of Prince Chigaru Mal'Salin." I jerked my head towards our destination. "In there. I escaped, grabbed a few hours of sleep, then met with Mychael Eiliesor. Again, not something I really wanted to do, but I've voted the paladin most likely to get me out of this mess in mostly one piece."

"And I can't," he said stiffly.

I groaned inwardly. It wasn't enough to endanger my friends' lives, now I was hurting their feelings.

"Janek, I'm not even sure the Seat of Twelve could save my neck at this point, but the Guardians are at least familiar with my problem. I'm hoping it's not out of their league."

"Can I at least have the short version of how your name's been attached to every criminal act in this city over the past two days?"

I told him. All of it. Janek was a big boy, so he'd just have to take care of himself. Plus, the Guardians weren't about to let him confiscate the beacon as evidence or haul me off to jail on obstruction of justice, or whatever else the watcher could legally come up with. When I finished, Janek just looked stunned. I knew the feeling.

"Raine, I knew you were capable of stirring up trouble, but is there anyone in this city not looking for you?"

"I haven't run across them yet."

He glanced to where Mychael Eiliesor was talking in low tones with two of his Guardians. "Well, at the very least, you shouldn't turn up dead before morning."

I took that as Janek's way of telling me I'd chosen my friends better than my enemies. Nice to know he approved.

"Let me see if I've got this straight," Janek said. "Ocnus Rancil blackmails Quentin into breaking into Nigel's to steal this beacon. Unbeknownst to Quentin, he has two employers, one beacon, and neither client wants to share. You take the beacon from Rand for safekeeping while he goes to deal with Simon Stocken, who's just been strung up, probably by the goblin, or possibly by Karl. For some deep, dark, mystical reason, you can't take the beacon off, and now the Khrynsani, the Mal'Salin family and Guardians are essentially carrying around wanted posters with your picture on it--all for some rock that will either give you unlimited power, steal your soul, or both."

"That pretty much covers it," I said.

Janek just stared at me in disbelief. "And for tonight's activity, you beard Karl in his den."

"I'm not planning on bearding anyone. All I want to do is find Quentin and leave. If we can't locate him on our own, I'll just ask Karl nicely to let Quentin go."

"Ask nicely?"

"Yes, 'ask nicely.' I can be diplomatic when I want to."

"Since when?"

"Karl's a businessman. He can recognize when something's in his best interests."

"Handing Quentin over is in his best interests?"

"If he wants to continue breathing, yes."

Janek looked around at the Guardians. "I can see Captain Benares and crew wanting to play tag with Karl after what he pulled, but that's a lot of Guardian muscle to retrieve one little man." He looked at Eiliesor with a crooked grin as the Guardian walked towards us. "And a long way to travel," he told the elf. "Are the Guardians lacking for thieves on Mid, Paladin Eiliesor?"

"We have more than enough of our own, Chief Watcher Tawl, is it?"

Janek extended his hand and the Guardian shook it. "Just Janek, otherwise known as the poor bastard saddled with the Sorcerers District. Understaffed, underarmed, and underpaid, but we make do. I'm not trying to tell you your business, Paladin, but while Karl Cradok's not in the same category of magical malcontent you're used to on Mid, he can do some damage when he puts his mind to it. And the men and women around him don't have half-baked abilities either."

"I encountered Mister Cradok a few nights ago, Janek. And I deal with his brother on a regular basis back home. Though while not quite as proficient as Krispus, Karl's skills do have a charm all their own."

"You're here to retrieve a soul-stealing rock," Janek said. "What are you doing going after Quentin Rand?"

I thought I should answer that one. "I have the beacon, so only I can find the Saghred--and I'm not going to find anything for anyone until Quentin is safe."

Janek grinned. "Looks like our girl's got you where it hurts, Paladin."

Eiliesor grinned back. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"Looks to me like next to Raine, you're going to be the most popular elf in town," Janek continued. "She threw her lot in with you. You hit the jackpot, and there seems to be a long line forming to take it away." He expression grew serious. "I think highly of Raine, and don't want to see anything happen to her."

"That makes two of us, Watcher Tawl."

Guess that meant I was out of the doghouse with Janek.

"The bastard Sarad Nukpana is strolling through my city, gathering sorcerers like firewood to burn Gates," Janek said. "Those are my people, Paladin Eiliesor. People I'm sworn to protect. Men and women who, for the most part, never hurt another soul. Now they're being killed in ways I don't want to imagine just so Nukpana and his shamans don't have to get their feet wet walking across town. Until now I haven't been able to do a thing to stop him. I'd like to go in with you."

"I'd appreciate it. The quicker we can do this, the better."

The city bells tolled once. The night wasn't getting any longer. I started towards the footbridge that led to The Ruins.

"You boys coming?"

Outtake from MLTF (Part 1 of 5)

For this week, I'll be posting a chapter from Magic Lost, Trouble Found that didn't make it into the final version. It features Karl Cradok, the crime lord of Mermeia, and more of Quentin. In streamlining the book, my editor and I decided that the Karl/Quentin subplot had to go. But both Karl & Quentin are still in reserves as characters to be included in future books. Karl's a slippery one, and Quentin's known for getting into everything -- so who knows where they'll turn up? ; ) Enjoy!

Karlerius Cradok was the self-proclaimed crime lord of our fair city. His name was really Karl, but none of his lieutenants dared to remind him. He had added the suffix to be more impressive to the magic users under his control, though he didn't need it. Karl was a powerful enough sorcerer all by himself. You couldn't be boss of anything in Mermeia without a certain level of magical talent. To me, he was just Karl. It was the name his mother had given him, and if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me.

Karl also used to be Quentin's boss. They hadn't parted on good terms. I could see Karl forcing Quentin into what was essentially a suicide job. He could be a nasty little man when he put his mind to it. Though if Karl had hired Quentin, it made one thing easier for me--I wouldn't have to add a new name to my list of least-liked people. Karl Cradok already had a permanent spot.

Right now, Karlerius Cradok was scared, a trait you just didn't see everyday in a crime lord of a city.

Through hundreds assorted malefactors--magical and otherwise--scattered throughout the city, Karl was behind the daily, if not hourly, breaking of nearly every law Mermeia had on its books. Prosecuting him was complicated by his lack of traceable involvement in any of them--and by a lack of victims willing to press charges or witnesses willing to testify. Most people were afraid of him and what he could order done.

My family wasn't most people. We had been attacked and were feeling more than a little vengeful. At least Phaelan was. But unlike my cousin, I didn't necessarily think Karl's head on a platter or innards on a spit was the most prudent course of action. I didn't want to strong-arm Karl, just let him know it was time he played nice. Now.

Though if he wasn't inclined to behave, I was willing to do whatever was necessary to get Quentin back. I hoped heavy-handed persuasion wouldn't be necessary, but I wasn't holding my breath. Intimidation had been sufficient with Ocnus. I was hoping Mychael Eiliesor and his boys would have the same effect on Karl. If that failed, I wasn't opposed to having Phaelan's crew or a few select Guardians teach Karl better manners. Though considering how I felt about our destination, I might be persuaded to lend a hand myself.

I had been in The Ruins last night and had absolutely no desire to repeat the experience. Ever. Yet here I was again, same time, same swamp. I wondered if Chigaru Mal'Salin was still camped out at Tam's place. Less than likely. I had to grin at that thought. After I told Tam who his houseguests were, I'd imagine the Nathrach family home was now less than hospitable towards visitors. Tam knew some very creative--and vindictive--wards.

When it came to criminal elements, The Ruins wasn't the worst part of the city, but it was bad enough that a group of heavily armed men loitering around The Ruins would be ignored. In certain sections of Mermeia, self-preservation could make you overlook almost anything. Between our numbers and our armaments, I couldn't imagine anyone walking up and asking stupid questions.

I had an interesting surprise waiting for me when we got there. Interesting in a stomach-clenching sort of way. There were already armed men loitering on the entrance to The Ruins. The stomach-clenching part was that I knew them.

Janek Tawl and six of his watchers were waiting for someone, and I think that someone was me. In the chaos that had been my life for the past two days, I'd essentially forgotten about Janek. From his grim expression, he hadn't forgotten about me.

And I thought Karl was going to be tonight's problem.

Hectic Friday

It's one thing after another here at my day job. And yes, like most authors, I have one. I'm a writer/editor/proofreader at an advertising agency. It's a blast! And today it's busy.

BTW -- MLTF is now available as an eBook at places such as Fictionwise. Just Google your favorite eBook retailer and get yourself an electronic copy.

Could you all do me a really big favor? If you've read Magic Lost, Trouble Found and loved it, please spread the word. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, blog buddies. Mention MLTF in your blogs and LiveJournals. Go Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Fictionwise, etc. and post a review. The more the merrier. And if you go into your favorite local bookstore, and they're sold out of MLTF, ask for it. They'll be glad to order it for you. And please email me to let me know where you've "spread the word" so that I can thank you!

As always, if you have a topic you'd like for me to blog on, or just have a question, feel free to email me at lisa@lisashearin.com. I'd love to hear from you.

Starting on Monday will be the first installment of another chapter from MLTF that didn't make it into the final version. The full chapter will probably take up 3-4 days of posts. So keep checking back each day for the next part of the chapter.

Take care and have a great weekend!
Lisa

Movies that feed my muse

Yesterday's topic was music to write by. I write to movie soundtracks (since when I write, I see the scenes in my head like a movie.) The Harry Potter soundtracks are my current favorites -- they create the right mood. But what movies feed my muse? What movies feed yours?

The Classics
Captain Blood -- This was Errol Flynn's first movie, and in my opinion, his best.
Casablanca -- Simply superb.
North by Northwest -- Great, classy thriller.
Charade -- Great thriller, and it doesn't get more classy than Audrey Hepburn.

Then there are the movies that if I'm clicking through the channels, and it's on, I just gotta sit down and watch.
The Mummy -- The first one with Brendan Fraiser, not the sequels.
Young Frankenstein -- Just too many great lines to quote just one.
Ghostbusters -- Again, the first one, not the sequels.
Big Trouble in Little China -- Mysticism, martial arts, mayhem -- how can it get any better?
The Hunt for Red October -- International intrigue and Sean Connery. Need I say more?
Highlander -- The original movie, not the sequels or TV series.
Moonstruck -- I simply adore this movie.
Star Wars (the first three) -- This choice goes without saying.
The Pirates of the Caribbean (all three) -- Johnny Depp. Enough said.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- This movie just rocks.
Alien -- The original. Saw it in the theater. Scary as hell. Sigorney Weaver kicks butt!
Poltergeist -- The original. Likewise saw it in the theater. Likewise scary as hell.
LOTR -- How could I forget? All three movies. All three breathtaking.
Galaxy Quest -- If you're an old-time Star Trek TV fan, you gotta see this. Hilarious!

I'm sure there are more, but I'm only on my first cup of coffee. What are some of your favorites?

BTW -- Next week for your reading enjoyment, I'll post another chapter from MLTF that didn't make it into the final version.

Music for writing

I have a question for the writers out there -- what music do you listen to when you write? Rachel Caine (author of the very cool Weather Warden series) even lists the songs at the back of her books that inspired her or that she listened to when writing that particular book.

I favor movie soundtracks. There's no voices to distract me and it sets the mood I need. I think I like movie music because that's how I write -- I see the story in my head like scenes in a movie. My favorite soundtracks for writing are LOTR (Howard Shore is a genius), and the Harry Potter movie soundtracks. I adore John Williams' music, and even though he only composed the music for the first couple of HP movies, subsequent HP soundtracks have built on his base. MLTF was written to some LOTR, but mostly to HP #1. For Armed & Magical, I mainly used HP #2 (and HP #4 for the darker scenes). And for vocal inspiration for Piaras's scenes, I listened to Josh Groban (magnificent baritone voice). BTW -- There's a lot more of Piaras singing in Armed & Magical.

So what's on your iPod or coming through your headphones?