The Horrors of Katrina

Hurricane Katrina has been weighing on my mind quite a bit this week, as she has most of the country. I lived in Biloxi, MS for nearly a year and visit New Orleans often. I feel drawn there, hope to live there someday. I feel a connection to every historic corner. It's part of my soul.

That's why it pains me that so many people are declaring it to be a lost cause before relief efforts have really begun. People (not residents of the affected areas, mind you) are waving a white flag, saying that Gulfport and Biloxi are gone forever, that New Orleans will have to be rebuilt elsewhere.

They're wrong.

And no, I can't say that because I know anything at all about how much water there is or the pumps required to remove it. I can say that because I know the people there. They're made of unbelievably stern, stubborn stuff. They're tough and, perhaps more importantly, they're loyal to their city. I believe with every shred of my heart that they will clean up, rebuild and life will go on--despite rumors, despite the doom and gloom prophecies of people nowhere near the Gulf.

So dig deep, people. It's time to give. It's time to save lives the only way we can from miles away. Click HERE and help them.

Conceding to the Voices in My Head

At times, I get the silly notion in my head that I'm the one writing my books. But all it takes is a weekend of yanking, pulling, tugging on words to get them on the page to remind me that I a merely a Medium for the voices inside my head.

Oft times those voices (ie, the voices of my characters) are speaking so quickly that I have a hard time getting their stories down. But sometimes, like this week, my characters realize that I'm trying to take them in a direction they don't want to go and they dig their heels in. Much like me, my characters are pretty stubborn and no matter how much I try to out-stubborn them, they win every time.

I once read that in the Middle Ages, writing was considered to be a mental illness, because writers are driven to write by the voices in their heads--that it's a need, far beyond desire.

That makes perfect sense to me.

With that said, I'm spending the rest of today giving in to whatever whim dear Vlad has in store for me. I am at his feet, begging for mercy...and for more words.

Friends to Die For

Writing is a very solitary experience--something most writers are perfectly comfortable with. I'm one of them. But every once in a while, a writer befriends other writers and a spark ignites. A spark that says, "These people get it."

If someone had told me that I would ever join a writing group, I'd have mocked them with bubbly laughter and then sicked my flying monkeys on them. But a few years ago, I began frequenting Writers Net and, as a result, learned a great deal about the industry. However, as happens in almost every artistic group, passions flared (as did tempers) and a new group (Backspace) was formed. It's here that I've met some of the best new writers out there and some of the best veterans, as well. (Kay Hooper is a member and truly a goddess in every way) I could go on and on about many of my fellow Backspacers, but today I'd like to focus on two.

Let me introduce you to Joe Konrath (who writes as JA Konrath--author of Whiskey Sour and Bloody Mary) and BK Birch (published author, poet, and book reviewer). Both are very talented writers and both are pretty amazing people. Joe signed a three book deal with Hyperion back in 2003 and, just recently, Hyperion told him they wanted another three in his Jack Daniels mysteries. (Not to mention that Joe is a funny guy who could probably sell a glass of water to a drowning man.) BK is published in all sorts of good places, including multiple stories with WildChild Publishing. (Plus she's a damn fine photographer)

Not only do they get it, these two know what I mean when I say "they get it". So, do yourself a favor and read their work, visit their websites, check out their blogs. You won't be dissappointed.

Dead Quiet

I'm not a patient woman. In fact, I'm probably the most impatient woman ever known in the history of man(and woman, of course)kind. I tap my foot while waiting for a webpage to load (with the help of cable internet--the fastest known internet on the planet). I drum my fingers while heating up a slice of pizza in the microwave (20 seconds?! Are you kidding me?!). And a three minute long commercial is enough to make me pull my hair out.

But I'm improving, thanks to the glory that is the publishing world.

Three weeks ago I began querying a book (nay, a series) that has taken me a decade to bring into being. (No, I don't write that slow. I actually have all six books planned out in excruciating detail, as well as the first two written.) This series is the reason I want to write. It's original, compelling (I think, anyway) and like nothing out there, because, as they say, if you can't find the book you want to read, then write it. So I did. And, with help from a wonderful man named Sachin Waikar (of WriteNow Editorial Services), I have the perfect query letter. Three weeks ago I began sending my query letter out to agents, mostly by email, but a few by snail mail. I've queried twenty-one so far. And have only heard a yay or nay from eight. Six rejections, but the two requests have me giddy. Both are from my list of top choices and one was for a full.

I should be happy. I should be floating on the friggin' ceiling, right?

Right. I should. But, due to my impatient self, I find myself wondering where my other rejections are, why they haven't responded. Is it me? Are they just busy? I know the answer, of course. Rumor has it that many agents vacation in July and August and, besides, three weeks really isn't that long. But the wait is killing me. Not the wait for acceptance, for that "Yes! Send it! I'd LOVE to read it!" email, but for my email notifier to beep.

I may go mad listening for it.

Good thing I'm already half-way there.

Sinking My Teeth Into It

Over the past few years, I've learned that writers are each comfortable creating fiction in their own, unique way. Some require complete silence, some noise, some coffee, some a certain area in which they find comfort to get "in the zone". People fascinate me. Personally, I can write in near-dark with music blaring, people chatting away nearby, traffic rushing by outside my window and a lack of anything in particular to drink. (I've given up my beloved Diet Pepsi for health reasons)

But I do require one, tiny, little, quirky detail to channel my muse (who looks very much like an overweight, 40-year-old, hairy tooth fairy, complete with tiara, wand and pink tutu).

I can't write with an outline.

Strike that...I can't write quickly or easily with an outline.

For the first time, due to numerous details and plot twists, I wrote out an outline to the book I'm working on. You know...just to keep track of things I'll need to put in to make Vlad's story work. My word count has been dismal ever since. I normally can break 2,000 words a day easy, but with Eighth Grade Bites, it's been more like 1,000--still nothing to sneeze at, but it's driving me seriously close to the edge of sanity. Why do I struggle with structure like that? Well, maybe I was a hippie flower child in another life or maybe it's the fact that I've never responded well when being told what to do in an authoritative manner--and the outline, to me, is like that. ("Stop flitting around with ideas, Heather, and stick to the damn story. Conform, conform!")

I wouldn't complain (*snicker* Yeah, right...this is me we're talking about here), except here I am a third of the way through the book and teen vampire books are popping up everywhere. And a friend recently alerted me that in Cynthia Sterling's market update she stated: "Pocket also publishes MTV books, a YA line that's been around a while, but they're currently revamping to make it more commercial. They're actively looking to acquire 50,000 to 75,000 word stories for late teens and young twenty-somethings. Lauren McKenna acquires for this line and is open to all sorts of stories. For instance, she mentioned she'd love to see a vampire teen novel." GAAAHHH!!!!! Write faster, write better, get it done already!!!

I never believed in a fear of success until now. Good thing for me my fear of failure is much worse. *g* So it's time to dig deep, sink my teeth into this manuscript and create the

next

big

thing.

Lust for Blood

I have a theory.

Everyone, on some level, digs vampire stories.

How else can you explain society’s fascination with the undead? For years, stories of vampires have been told and retold and so-called evidence of their existence has been offered (I'm thinking here of Vlad Tepes' empty grave). Writers, poets, filmmakers have returned to their bloody theme with impassioned abandon. Even Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1788) can be quoted as saying, "If ever there was in the world a warranted and proven history it is that of vampires." People have discussed them, theorized about them, tried to emulate them and, some, even believe they are vampires.

And who wouldn't love these bloodthirsty monsters? They range from the quiet, tortured Louis of Anne Rice acclaim, to the evil reality of Vlad Tepes, to the sexy Zillah of Poppy Z. Brite's work, to the humorous undertakings *snicker* (Get it? Undertakings? AHAHAHAHA!!!) of Katie MacAlister. We love them. Even when we hate them we love them.

Otherwise, their fame would die out and people would move on to less bloody tales. (Or more bloody. I, for one, think war stories are wrought with much more blood than vampires)

I'm hoping this popularity continues. My dark fantasy series features a tribe (rather, several tribes, but focuses on one) of vampyres who live in another realm, with higher aspirations. (As in, oh....to rule over all realms) And the series I'm currently hard at work on is something I'm very proud of. It's a young adult series, about a 14 year old vampire named (that's right) Vlad. The title? Eighth Grade Bites. *snort* (I kill me!) As you can imagine, I'm pretty heavily invested in the idea that people will go on loving vampires the way I do.

If trends change...put a stake in me, I'm done.

Giving Up The Bite

Is vampire fiction losing its popularity?

I'm not talking with the readers of vamp fic, but the writers. Clearly, authors like Laurell K. Hamilton and Katie MacAlister are still very much in love with telling tales about bloodsuckers, but according to an interview with Poppy Z. Brite that I stumbled upon recently and Anne Rice's notorious Amazon.com defense, some authors are just plain tired of of writing about vampires. Or maybe their just tired of those characters. I'm not sure. But what's clear is that they've moved on to other, non-vampy works.

Why?

Well, I'm not exactly sure.

I love writing vamp fiction, live for it, look forward to tapping at my keyboard and pouring out every blood-drenched word. In fact, I don't believe I'll ever give it up. A recent conversation with Stacy Boyd, an editor with Harlequin Silhouette, has given me great hopes that my own vampy tales may soon grace the shelves. Stacy commented on the popularity of vampire fiction and noted that people like Laurell K. Hamilton have (forgive the pun) pumped new blood into the genre. The readers are buying it, (and this one) gobbling it up, in fact--so what causes two of the biggest names in vamp fic to give up the ghost?

I don't know, but it (...wait for it...) bites.

To Blog Or Not To Blog...

...that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of...ah, fugghedaboutit!

I've gone back and forth on the issue of blogging. Many writers view blogging as an excellent way to promote your work. Many poo-poo the notion. Many are still on the fence about it. Me? I'm hanging off the fence with ripped shorts and my leg wrapped around my head, praying I don't fall and break a leg...or worse, a finger.

For now I'll dive into this madness called blogging and, hopefully, take a few of you with me. As the Cheshire Cat said, "We're all mad here." So grab your straight jackets, kids.

To get started, let's explore 1001 ways to procrastinate. A favorite distraction of mine is Ebaum's World. The site does have some mature content, so I'd advise only those 18 and over to visit. While you're there, check out Schfifty-five--a favorite of mine that never gets old (to me, anyway).

Or, if you feel like reading, check out my short story The Light of Dennis Knopf over at DarkMoon Rising. I've had a few others accepted. As soon as they post, I'll set up a link here. You know...*toes the ground* if you want me to...

For now, my procrastination time (read: the time I should be writing, but have taken out to give you people ideas on how to procrastinate) is over. Off to the mind of a fictional character!