Delurking

Been a while since I posted. I'm currently plotting my story for NaNoWriMo. This will be my seventh year participating in the 50k-word challenge. Decided not to go with my first idea, a phantasmagoria-type fantasy. Instead, I'll be working on an angel urban fantasy. I might write a serial using the phantasmagoria idea, but I'm not 100% sure. I've got another short horror story I'm working on. Had planned to submit it to an anthology, but realize that won't work. However, I like the idea and don't want to give it up.

Also getting ready for the Author Faire this Saturday, November 3, at the Bullitt County Library in Shepherdsville. If you're in the area, we'd love for you to stop by. Kentucky is home to many talented writers, and I'm proud to call the Bluegrass State home.

 

A Tale of Two Vampires

(Cross-posted from Write Club)

It's official! I finished The Ripper's Daughter, my vampire Victorian paranormal mystery for National Novel Writing Month on November 20 and verified it November 25.

I wanted to write about vampires, but I also wanted my story to be different. So I decided to make the relationship between Nathan and Stephen a symbiotic one. Stephen needed Nathan to drink his blood and Nathan had someone he could feed from without endangering other people's lives. Their relationship goes much farther, however, a sexual one they need to keep hidden from society. Not only that, but also continuing the charade of Stephen, Nathan's master, playing the part of his manservant.

Inspector Lewis

What really inspired me to write this story, though, was Inspector Lewis. The show aired on Masterpiece Mystery while I was plotting my NaNo WIP. Not that the two have anything in common except I knew, after watching Inspector Lewis, I wanted Nathan to be a former Detective Inspector.

Who would I pit Nathan against? Then it came to me. Who is the most infamous murderer in Victorian history? Jack the Ripper. (Okay, there are others, but I'm going with the most well-known.) And what if Jack the Ripper weren't human? What if he were a werewolf, and only Nathan knew this? So the DI risked his life and all he had to become a vampire and stop the Ripper? But what if he failed?

I explore this throughout the story. The guilt Nathan feels at failing to catch the Ripper and the determination to stop him when he finds the Ripper has come to Louisville, Nathan's new home. Nathan now owns a saloon called The Cloak and Dagger. I wanted a place where he could get information but not resort to making him work as a police officer or as a reporter. Besides, both those jobs would require working in daylight, something Nathan can no longer do. He can go out in overcast weather but direct sunlight will cause considerable damage, even death. And if Nathan dies, so does Stephen and vice versa.

Although this is a first draft, I thought I'd share a short excerpt.Remember, this is from a draft and is not intended to be considered final.

Please enjoy!

Excerpt:

I caught Stephen biting his lower lip, a worried expression on his face. Concern? He needn’t worry. After all, he turned me, knowing a vampire’s strengths and weaknesses. He knew I wouldn’t take foolish risks.

No, it was something else. Stephen hadn’t eaten or drunk much the last couple of days and seemed a bit sluggish and redder in the face, as if stricken with high blood pressure.

Something primal stirred in me. A faint coppery smell triggered an ache in my fangs which dropped slightly.

Our eyes met, Stephen’s blue ones darkening. He rose, pulling the brocade curtains shut against the moonlight and any passersby. We couldn’t risk complacency. To do so could put our lives in danger.

He crossed the room and sat on the sofa next to me. The light from the lamp glinted on his hair, throwing shadows across his face, the bridge of his aquiline nose. But my attention was drawn to his carotid artery. I licked  my lips, desire pooling in my body, heightened by his nearness and the smell of blood. As my fangs continued to drop, my need grew and I shifted impatiently, eager to drink.

Stephen leaned his head back. I unbuttoned his shirt collar, pushing it aside to reveal pale flesh at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Leaning in, I breathed in the scent of soap and water, a clean smell.

He made no sound as I licked the skin, readying it. I looked down to see Stephen clench his fists and I wrapped my fingers around his wrist. The gesture served two purposes, to comfort him and to anchor myself against the ecstasy of drinking his blood.

Stephen closed his eyes. My breathing quickened, my heartbeat increased as adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream. In contrast, Stephen’s breathing and heart rate slowed as his heart struggled to pump the excess blood circulating through him.

Again, I marked the spot with a gentle swipe of my tongue, tasting salt. The ache in my fangs intensified and I became heady with passion, both for his blood and his body, which needed to be satisfied in that order.

I bit, incisors pricking his skin. A thin line of blood trickled free and I lapped at it. Within seconds I fed, my mind focused on Stephen and the pleasure this act gave both of us.

For him, it was relief. For me, it became an almost orgiastic experience.

His hand tightened on my leg, fingers pressing into my kneecap as I continued to drink. At first I worried I hurt him. But he assured me the sensation was one of pleasure-pain and far more preferable to the discomfort he felt when his body became gorged with too much blood.

The Ripper's Daughter and an Update

First, I'm excited to announce I won NaNoWriMo with my short novel, The Ripper's Daughter.

"Nathaniel James, former DI with Scotland Yard, is now a vampire and owner of the saloon, The Cloak and Dagger, in Louisville, Kentucky. But he can't seem to let go of his inspector past. When the mauled bodies of  prostitutes start showing up, Nathan believes the Ripper has come to the River City. But why? And who is the mysterious young woman who now accompanies the Ripper?

Nathan knows one thing. The police won't be able to catch the Ripper using conventional methods. Not when their killer isn't human."

(Note: That's a working blurb, nothing official.)

This story is my first mystery. It's a cross-genre paranormal erotic romance/mystery. For those of you who don't know, I love reading whodunits, from cozies to hard-boiled. I'm currently reading Fadeout by Joseph Hansen and wondering why it took me so long to find the David Brandstetter mysteries.   

The other news is a bit more complicated. I've discovered I may be an Empath. Earlier this month, on the 14th and 15th, I suffered from a near-suicidal depression. It was so bad, I also nearly deleted my works-in-progress, including my NaNo project. I had no idea why I felt this way. Life up to then had been fine. Wednesday came and the miasma of pain disappeared, as if it had never been there. Strange, I thought. But then I learned that on that same Monday, someone I knew had killed himself.

This is something I've been struggling with. Have some of my other "depressions" merely been psychic reactions to other people's deaths? People I didn't know? People who died by their own hand, consumed with a grief so strong they projected it onto me?

If this is true, it's something I need to deal with. Like someone said, we all have an empathic ability to some extent. I guess I'd kept mine shut off for so long I'd no idea.

I attended his memorial service. Even though I'd only met him a few times, I wanted that chance to say goodbye. 

Suffice it to say, I didn't destroy any stories. (The thought of retyping doesn't appeal to me.) I've gone back to Serpent Fire, the second book in my Angels of Death series. I know it needs work but I think I'm ready to tackle it. Same with my other angel urban fantasy. But I plan to write more stories involving other preternatural beings, including some not common to Western readers, such as the alp.

Because you know what? I don't plan to give up on my writing. I'm just not wired that way. 

A Brief Update

Sorry I've been remiss in posting anything new lately. Death Sword is doing quite well for a debut release. Exactly how well I can't say until the numbers come in. For a brief moment (maybe two hours), I was in the top 100 on Amazon UK's books > fantasy > paranormal list. (Amazon rankings bounce up and down like the proverbial ping pong balls.) I look at it this way, even if I'm 400,000, at least I've sold one book. LOL And for that, I'm grateful.

Anyway, I'm working on the Zaphkiel Project which I hope to submit in March. Today my goal is to reach 50k. The total projected length is 80k. If I finish it, the Zaphkiel Project will be the longest book I've written. (At this point that may be the title unless I can come up with something better.)

I've also revamped the blog. If you look on the left side, you'll see I've added pages, including online retailers where you can buy Death Sword, a free sample you can read, links to other sites I belong to, etc.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out, I have two interviews up. One is by urban fantasy author Sonya Clark and the other by romance writer Dyanne Davis who writes paranormal romances under the pen name F. D. Davis.

http://www.sonyaclark.net/2011/01/interview-with-author-pamela-turner.html

http://www.dyannedavis.com/AuthorSpotlight.html

Stop by and check them out if you like. We'd love to see you. :-) And if you'd like to visit my site, it's http://pamelaturne.net. You'll find flash fiction, character descriptions, and links to past blog interviews.

Happy Writing!

Happy Release Day!

Death Sword was released today! It's my debut short novel that I wrote in 2008 for National Novel Writing Month. It's currently the first book in the Angels of Death series. (I'm revising book two and writing book three.)

It's available at Amazon (Kindle), B&N (Nook), Fictionwise, and other online ebook retailers.

To learn more: http://bit.ly/gHgcAH

Happy reading!

NaNo Update and a Blog "Tour"

Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I spent November participating in that little writing frenzy known as National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. While I passed the 50k mark on my project, The Devil Inside, I haven't quite finished it. It's the third book in my Angels of Death series.

The blurb: Karla Black has settled comfortably into her role as an angel of death. But old wounds reopen when her mother tries to commit suicide. Determined to stop her, Karla is interrupted by Azazel, who reveals her mother and he are not her true parents. With this new information, along with her crumbling relationship with Xariel, Karla discovers her past is still filled with secrets, one that may change her life forever.

 Yes, I know, it needs work. :-) I also put up a mock cover. Trust me, no cover artists are in danger of losing their jobs.

Anyway, I spent most of 2010 writing stories. This month I plan to finish two short novels and start the revision process. If I'm successful I will have completed five short novels and one novella. Of course the plot bunnies are vying for my attention with ideas for short stories of the macabre. I've accepted that I'm probably a dark genre writer and that's okay. But I also enjoy writing contemporary M/M romances. Oh, well, blame it on my Gemini nature. :-)

This January 3, 2011 also sees the release of my first book, Death Sword, from Lyrical Press. You can learn more about it here and read an excerpt. To celebrate its release, I'm holding my own "Blog Tour." Death Sword is set in Louisville, Kentucky and, throughout this month, I'll be sharing information about my book as well as introducing readers to the various locations here in Louisville and why I've decided to set my stories in Derby City.

Hope you enjoy the ride!

Open Topic Thursday: Don't Submit That NaNo Novel Yet

Today is day four of that annual phenomena known as National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I'm off to a late start, having only clocked in 3000 words so far. Not too worried, though. My chapter-by-chapter outline is ready and I can write out of sequence if necessary. It's not my typical modus operandi but sometimes the right side of the brain needs to be jolted out of its complacency from time to time.

NaNo has its supporters and its detractors. I read tweets from agents, editors, and publishers who act as if there will be a deluge of NaNo manuscripts flooding their in boxes on December 1. To them, it seems as if all NaNo novels are bad. Well they are. Because they're first drafts. And first drafts suck. Mine did. You'd be surprised if you saw the initial draft of Death Sword and the most recent one. (Death Sword was my 2008 NaNo project.)

I'm sure there are eager writers who will submit their novels too soon to beleaguered editors, agents, and publishers. If you're one of these writers (and I know you're not), or if you know someone who is, please tell them not to do this. Encourage them to revise their work and have it critiqued before submitting it. They may not like the idea of being told their baby has big ears, as a friend of mine says, but if they want to be published writers they need to acquire thick skins.

Editors, publishers, and agents have a difficult and often thankless job which is compounded by people who think they don't need to edit their manuscripts. Why make it difficult for the people who can help you become a better writer and hopefully help you sell your book? In this business we need all the allies we can get.

So get out there and write. Then revise, revise, revise and make us and yourself proud of your story.

Open Topic Thursday: Writing Dark Genre Fiction

I'm working on my short horror novel, currently called the "Zaphkiel  Project" because I can't think of a title. And I'm researching the Horror Writer Association's "Approved Publisher List" to find possible publishers to submit it to. (I want to earn an affiliate membership.)

Anyway, I'm also thinking of posting short horror fiction to my website, starting Tuesday Oct 19 and posting each day through Oct. 31. Thirteen dark genre stories. I like the term "dark genre fiction" because it can encompass horror, fantasy, sci-fi, maybe even mystery, thriller, and suspense. I already have a few flash fiction pieces posted.

Might also be fun to lay out 13 Tarot cards and get ideas based on what comes up. But should I use the Celtic Tarot or the Rider-Waite deck? Maybe both? Seven of one deck and six of the other? Actually, six and six since I already have an idea for one story. Not that I don't have to plot my NaNoWriMo book before November 1. But you've already heard my thoughts on that topic. LOL

Also debating whether or not to polish and self-publish a vampire short novel on Smashwords and/or Kindle. I'd prefer publishing my books to self-publishing, but I'd like to keep my options open. Same thing with the free reads. I've read the pros and cons of posting free material. I can't say it will bring me new readers but it's worth a try.

Open Topic Thursday: Getting Ready for BIAM Writathon

First, thank you to F.D. Davis for being my guest blogger this past Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed her article on writing speculative fiction.

Yes, that's my cat with my husband. She likes me but she adores him.

On to today's topic: the Book in a Month Writathon. This is a twice yearly writing challenge via Anne Marie Novark's Yahoo group. In April I wrote a m/m contemporary romance. This October the goal is to write Cathedral Girl, a NaNoWriMo project I started but failed to finish. What I like about this particular challenge is there are no rules except one: Write and write a lot. If you're interested in checking out this invitation only group, go to http://annemarienovark.com/?p=151

I need to get ready for NaNoWriMo. I have Liquid Story Binder and I'd like to use it to prepare the third book in my Angels of Death series. I'm a software junkie. I admit it. I have Dramatica Pro, Power Writer, and Power Structure to help me plot my stories. I use Dramatica Pro the most because I'm used to it.

NaNoWriMo is about the only time I become a pantster. I usually start with a title, a vague sense of plot, and a well-intentioned plan. It goes something like this: I promise to start plotting my book on October 1, which gives me a whole month. But I don't. And October 15 rolls around. It's okay, I convince myself. Two weeks is plenty of time to create character GMCs and plot turning points. So I let a few days slip by... And suddenly it's October 30 and I haven't done a darn thing except think of a few names. November 1 arrives and I'm sitting with my fingers poised over the keyboard thinking, "What the hell do I do now?"

Armed with what little knowledge I have of my story, I write. After all, I know I'll be revising it. During November I'll plot the version of the story as it will be rewritten. The idea is to get it down. A little unorthodox, but it works for me. The original version of Death Sword is nowhere near the almost-final version. Names changed, character motivations were altered, etc. The essential plot remained, but I rewrote 99% of the book.

Cathedral Girl will be a little easier to write as I've already plotted it and done character GMCs. Like Death Sword, it probably fits in the category of urban fantasy. And yes, it involves angels.

I also need to revise my Zaphkiel short novel. I want to submit it to a small press that is on the approved publisher's list of the Horror Writers Association. (I plan to become a member but I need to meet certain criteria.) The question is whether I'm going to keep it at the current word count or expand it. Most likely, I'll expand the story, which seems to fall into two parts. So that's another project...

What about you? Anyone doing BIAM Writathon or NaNoWriMo this year?