I’m participating in a special year long blog hop to explain my writing process. I’ve been tagged by the awesome historical fiction author, Piper Huguley. Here are my responses:
What am I working on?
I’ve been hard at work finishing the Soul Eater novel. It has been an adventure from fast drafting the novel during Nanowrimo 2013 to the editing and revision process. I won’t fib, editing and revisions take a lot of hard work. Sometimes, rewriting is a struggle but the story always shines when done. Those great authors that say “novels are made on the editing floor” are telling the truth but it hurts to kill “your little darlings” from the fast drafting process.
So far, I’ve completely rewrote, revised, and edited Act 1 of the Soul Eater and I am in the middle of working on Act 2. I think readers will be fascinated with the twists and turns of the Soul Eater. I have characters with serious controversial issues like Corbin who is a Pan Africanist but very sexist or Deacon’s grandmother who had been a champion for Civil Rights but is very racist. I don’t hold back do I? My goal is to have the Soul Eater ready by July 1st and if all goes well, I may even release a sequel, Vengeance soon after. Fingers crossed!
How does my work differ from others in my genre?
I could probably write a manual on how my work differs from other Urban fantasies or Paranormal Romances. One of the things that I enjoy adding to my novels are tough heroines who face incredible odds related to their race, class, and gender. My heroines have more to overcome physically and mentally because of who they are… Oftentimes it’s difficult for me to write these stories and tough for readers to face but the journey is well worth it. My readers appreciate the uniqueness of my stories and comment on the freshness of the world building and characters.
Readers who enjoy a strong heroine who must fight to survive (sometimes to the death) with controversial issues that multicultural women face, will truly enjoy my novels. Action-packed, paranormal elements, multicultural issues, and strong heroines… What’s not to love?
Why do I write what I do?
As an avid reader, I always enjoyed those outlandish stories by great Science Fiction authors like Ray Bradbury or Isaac Asimov. In fact, my love for the unusual and strange developed at a young age. I was fascinated by Alfred Hitchcock. But, there has always been a part of me that felt disconnected from these worlds. I would find myself asking the question, “Where are the black folks in the future?” or “Why do black people always have to die?” These questions spurred me to write stories featuring protagonists of color, in particular, black women heroines. Not sidekicks or best friends with the white main characters but as the center or object of the story. Diversity in science fiction, fantasy, and futuristic stories has become my mission. Join me in breaking down the barriers in this field #diversityinsff #blackscifi or here’s my scoop-it page on the State of Black Science fiction. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can desegregate futuristic worlds in literature, TV, and movies.
How does my writing process work?
Not only am I a journal freak, but I’m also a “seat of your pants” type of writer. I never truly know how a story will turn out until it’s done. It’s one of the reasons that I struggle with the editing/revision process. I get a kick out of allowing the story to unfold on the page from my subconscious mind. So here’s how I work. The librarian in me comes across a neat idea from the research. I read everything I can on the subject. It’s a bit of an immersion process then I begin to vision my characters and what needs to happen. I do write a very short outline to have an inkling of an idea of where I might be headed but I rarely stick to it. Then, I let it fly. I decide the word count that I need for a scene or chapter and I release the story on the page. It’s exciting and addictive to write in this manner. I can usually write about 1700 words in 60-70 minutes. Lots of fun! I can usually fast draft quickly and it takes me several months to begin the editing/revision process. I can usually have a novel conceived, written, and edited within a six month time period. Lots of fun!
Wringing my hands together and repeating an evil laugh, now who will be my victim, I mean tag to participate in this blog hop? How about my writing buddies Alan D Jones and Anna Steffl? It’ll be great to see their responses.
