On Spoilers, Social Media, and the Demise of the Denouement

March 17, 2014--

So, last night when I went to bed an hour early, I didn't really think there would be any ramifications other than feeling more rested than usual. I opted for Cosmos before bed (space dreams!) instead of The Walking Dead (Survival/horror nightmares!) and this choice actually had an effect on my life.

This morning, when I began to review the usual feeds-- facebook, Twitter, etc-- I was stunned by the amount of OH MY GOD #THEWALKINGDEAD I saw. There were sad faces, the term "gross" came up a lot, and it was overall pretty negative stuff.

Then I got hit with anxiety.

Now, this makes me sound like I have no life. I became anxious, actually, because I watch the show with my husband, and he's away all week so we need to wait until next Tuesday to watch both last week's and this week's episodes. Still, no reason for alarm. Just tarry on and it doesn't matter.

But, to be perfectly honest, I want to stay away from social media.

I don't want spoilers.

What has happened to TV watchers since the social media revolution? It's more than just a water cooler mindset; watching TV has become a group experience in ways that were much more immediate than just a few years ago.

Back when Battlestar Galactica was ending, a co-worker of mine created a "Final Five" chart that we kept on the wall in our office, joking weekly and updating our picks. It was fun. It was a great way to come back to work after a weekend. I feel like that would be the extent of my "social" side of entertainment consumption.

Now, if you don't watch a show when it's on, chances are you're screwed. I've had Downton Abbey spoiled for me so many times that I don't even watch it anymore. If anyone would have spoiled L O S T for me I would have choked a bitch.

But is all this necessary? It's silly that I want to avoid the internet for a week, but have we become so addicted to plot twists and turns that if things like this don't happen, we get upset? Take True Detective, for example, something I'd call one of the best shows I've ever seen. Last week's finale drew ire because it didn't have any kind of reveal about the Yellow King or Cthulu or Marty's daughter Audrey. People were disappointed by denouement.

The series was 8 episodes long. Now, are we demanding plot twists in the final 8th of a book? Or the final scenes in a movie? No, it's where things wrap up. Denouement is ok. So why are we accepting of it with literature but not with television?

Personally, I think it's the "discussion" factor. I think we need to talk about it, and talk about it immediately.  And slap a hashtag on it.

When a Good Premise Goes Bad: American Horror Story Coven

January 30, 2014--

The Seven Wonders, last night's season finale of American Horror Story: Coven, was problematic and perplexing. The plot holes were the size of New England winter potholes, the motivation was worse than when I try to get up early on the weekend, but that's really just scratching the surface of what went wrong this season. And last season.

First off, it wasn't a horror story. Misnomer. The first season was full-on terrifying, season two (while not nearly as good as season one) was creepy and atmospheric, but Coven was gory but lacked the emotion that would make the audience afraid. And the main reason it wasn't scary: there were no stakes.

You could die, then come back. You could gouge your eyes out, then get them back. You could die again and come back again. You could gouge your eyes out A SECOND TIME and get them back. (Fellow Whedonites: I know Buffy dies and comes back twice. This is ok because it's Whedon.)

Secondly was the lack of an engaging protagonist. First we meet Zoe, who...can kill you with intercourse? Ok. I'm quaking in my boots. Then there's what should be the ace-in-the-hole, Jessica Lange's Fiona, but she's just a sort-of-evil-but-nicely-dressed non-entity. We gain some compassion for her, and then it's dashed, and then we get more, and it gets smashed again. Kind of like the resurrection and eye-gouging stuff. Are we supposed to like her? Hate her? I don't even think the writers know. The cast of other witches had potential to be interesting and cool, but most of them also vacillated between being likable and deplorable, except for Nan. Who should have been the Supreme.

And...can we talk about the big "stakes" here? Becoming Supreme is supposed to be amazeballs, right? You are the head witch in the world, and you have "everything" at your disposal. Ok, so why did Fiona only have that one black dress and why did she just mope about New Orleans drinking? Show us why being Supreme is enough for girls to kill each other over! Also, guess what, you'll be reigning Supreme over...four misfit girls. Great. I did like, at the end, (much in a Buffy fashion, erm) there were tons of witches that joined up, but come on. Most of the season was like "Yay, I'm going to be queen of this handful of awful people!"

But there were some potentially awesome characters who were squandered. You had Kathy Motherfuckin Bates and all you did was have her spit racist comments and get dismembered (several times...hmm, this seems to be a theme). She starts to grow on people, then does something reprehensible again. See a pattern? Then there was Marie Laveaux. Can you say badass voodoo queen? She was the highlight of the show, for a while, then  they killed her with Benedryl and a spill down the stairs. Or something. I barely remember because at this point I just watched the train wreck. How do you screw this up?

It had so much potential. Such a great city. Such fantastic talent. But what they did was, yet again, throw too many balls in the air. There was a rival bunch of witches. AWESOME. There was racial tension. COMPELLING. There were top-notch actors and actresses involved. BOOM. And then let's add unnecessary villains, the Axe Man and the Witch Hunters. UM... And then let's have an unbalanced love triangle. WELL... Now let's throw in a weird council. YOU GUYS... And Stevie Nicks. DUDE!

Enough.

Now, next season once again has potential. It's set at a carnival in the 1950's and Jessica Lange sports a German accent. To me, that sounds like a recipe for a creep-tastic season. Please, writers, take it down a notch. And make it scary, not gross or shocking. Take some cues from season one and give the audience what they want.

And by that I mean Dylan McDermott.

My Memories of Light

January 5, 2013--

I'm making mental preparations for what is going to happen this week.

I am going to be seeing some of my friends for the last time.  Friends I have loved for eighteen years, which (doing some quick math, here) is more than half of my life.

On January 8, A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson hits the shelves.  I, however, am going to hit the floor in an insensible heap.  The Wheel of Time will be over.

I know I am going to love the book.  Folks, it's the Last Battle, finally.  Our hero will have his moment.  Hell, all our heroes in that series are going to have their moments.  I'm not worried about how Sanderson will complete Jordan's work.

I'm worried about saying goodbye.

I have literally grown up with these characters.  I met them on a balmy summer night when I was fifteen, ironically the same night I met my first ever boyfriend.  While that teenage love didn't last, my relationships with Rand, Perrin, Matt, Nynaeve and Egwene, however, are bonds that never broke.  I once joked that the series was taking so long, I'd be married with children by the time it was over.

Um.  *crickets*  Married with two kids, here.

True, characters never really leave you.  Their stories stay in your mind and give you beautiful memories and daydreams for years to come.  But in many ways, this is the end of something major in my life.  I don't remember what my fantasies were like before the Wheel of Time.  The series helped shape me in so many ways.  I drew strength from Nynaeve's young wisdom when people told me I was too mature for my age.  I channeled Mat Cauthon every time I tested my luck, and most times I won.  And whenever anyone told me my dreams were too big, I just thought about Egwene, the youngest Amyrlin Seat in history.

But in the most profound way, it was Robert Jordan himself who changed my life.  He showed me how deeply and profoundly a good book can affect you.  He made me want to be a writer.  Now, eighteen years later, I've made that dream come true.  I've written a book that landed me my dream agent, and publishing success is just around the corner.  This was because of Mr. Jordan, first and foremost.  I recall the two times I met him and smile on those memories.  He was so kind to me, and really took a moment when he signed my books to get to know the person whose name he was scrawling.  I showed him the picture that is now my avatar-- cutting my wedding cake with a Heron Mark sword.  He laughed and looked me in the eye.  "You're a badass," he had said. 

Robert Jordan called me a badass.

So of course I had the courage to write a novel of my own.  I crafted my own worlds and characters that became stitched into the fabric of my soul alongside Rand and company.  I could do it.  I did do it.

So as this epoch of my life comes to a close, the new one is beginning: my own life and career as an author.  I think the timing is pretty auspicious.  I think, if he were still alive, Mr. Jordan would have enjoyed my writings, as silly and non-epic as they may be.  I think Brigitte would like to sit down for drinks with my heroine, and Mat would love to throw some dice with my hero.

I don't know what's going to happen when I head to the book store and hold this treasure in my hands.  I will probably cry on the way to the counter, all the way out the door, and put a box of tissues next to my bed for a week. 

I know I will probably leave a piece of my soul on that last page.



PS-- Fellow Wheel of Time fans, I'd love to hear from you.  How are you preparing for the Last Battle?

Writer Interview: Jamie Grey

Today’s interview is with none other than one of the YA Misfits, Jamie Grey. I’ve known Jamie on Twitter for a while, and I have to say, she’s one of the sweetest Tweeps out there. Plus the title of her MS, Ultraviolet Catastrophe, is probably the coolest title in the world. Let’s get to know her.

AG: Tell us about your current project.

JG: My current project is a YA Sci-Fi called Ultraviolet Catastrophe. Here’s the blurb:

Lexie’s first assignment as a student at prestigious Quantum Technologies leads her to uncover a mistake in the master equation for an Einstein-Rosen bridge. Instead of a wormhole, this equation produces catastrophically uncontrollable ultraviolet rays. Except, it isn’t a mistake at all. It’s a carefully crafted plan that could devastate QT—and the rest of the universe. When the lead scientist turns up dead in the cryo chamber, Lexie knows she’s running out of time. Someone wants scientists eliminated and the correct formulas destroyed. And if she doesn’t find a way to stop them, she’ll be next.

It’s been such a fun book to write - kind of a cross between Eureka and Veronica Mars.

AG: Is it your first book?

JG: Nope, I’ve been writing since I was a kid. But, it’s only the 2nd book I’ve queried (if you don’t count the book I sent out 5 queries on and then realized it was completely awful!)

AG:  How did you tackle the revision process before you queried? Did you use CP’s?

JG: I’d be lost without my CPs! I don’t know what I’d do without them!
My revision process is to finish my first draft, do a read through and makes notes on what needs to change and how to fill in plot holes. I make those changes and do a line edit before sending to my CPs so they have a fairly clean MS to read through.

I usually do revisions using groups of CPs. So, I just sent out UVC to my first three CPs. I’ll fix the book based on their changes and then send it out to the next group. It works really well to get different people reading different version and catching different things.

AG: What was the querying process like for you? Any tips?

JG: I queried my last book for about 6 months. It got a lot of interest, but in the end it just wasn’t something agents thought they could sell. I think the biggest thing when you get to a certain point in your skill level is to remember is that it’s not always about your writing, it’s more about marketability. You could have the best book in the world, but if an agent doesn’t think she can sell it, they’re not going to take it on. It often has nothing to do with your skill.


AG: Do you blog? Where can we find you on Twitter and the internet?

JG: I blog at www.jamiegreybooks.com

I’m also a YA Misfit and blog over there as well - www.yamisfits.com

I’m on Twitter as www.twitter.com/jamie_grey

AG:  What online resources have you used to help your writing and querying and revision process?

JG: I love Query Tracker - it’s become a bit of an addiction while I’ve been in the Query Trenches. I also love the writing community and love to read everyone’s blogs on process and writing. I’ve entered quite a few contests (Miss Snark’s First Victim, The Writer’s Voice, etc) and have found some amazing CPs and developed some amazing relationships through those. I highly recommend getting out there in the community if you have the time.

Such good advice, Jamie.  Now, everyone, go check out Jamie AND her fellow misfits!  Thanks for talking with me, Jamie!

 

Writer Interview: Alex Pendergrass

Friends, this week’s interview comes from Alex Pendergrass, who has written a sprawling fantasy…and those of you who know my reading tastes, know I eat that stuff up!  Let’s hear more about his epic project!

AG: Tell us about your current project.

AP:To Vivify Evil is a dark fantasy novel where centuries of inequality, and opposing ideas on how to resolve the disparity, come to a head with violent impact. The whole world stands at the brink when a monstrous foe from the past returns from the dead, intent on wiping out the bastions of power so that he might rebuild society in his vision.

The novel follows the personal stories of seven characters trapped in the upheaval: a victimized assassin, two young lovers, a vengeful orphan, an industrious thief, a seer whose dreams may hold the key to mounting a resistance, and a hunter whose race was marched from society and granted territory in the inhospitable north.

AG: Is it your first book?

AP: Yes and no. This is the first novel I began writing, over ten years ago under a different title, but it remained stagnant for years during my stint as a competitive gamer. At that time, it was little more than Lord of the Rings fan fiction, simply derivative and poorly written. Then around 2007/2008, I began reading A Song of Ice and Fire. My ideas about what fantasy could be completely changed, and I went back to square one.

I redid most everything, keeping a few location names and characters, and upped the content level. To experiment with a more mature style, I wrote a prequel novel that explores the origins of the villain and his motives. I finished that last year, and revised it, then received my first rejection letter before returning to this novel. I’ll revisit the prequel one day, I’m sure, but for now To Vivify Evil is my main focus.

AG: How did you tackle the revision process before you queried? Did you use CP’s?

AP: I begin revising, in earnest, by printing out the entire behemoth and forcing myself to take a red marker to it. There’s something real about having your story in a physical form, something about the feeling of it against your fingertips that, at least for me, helps illuminate flaws. I make several passes, focusing on grammar and spelling to start, and then one pass for each character to examine the logic behind their arcs, another for thematic cohesion, et cetera.

I’ve absolutely used beta readers. For several years, I’ve shared snippets of scenes or early concepts through various online writing communities including more than one run by one of your previous interview subjects, Benjamin Weller. Sidenote: I’ve had the honor to be one of Cloudnigh’s beta readers and it is glorious.

Recently, after completing NaNoWriMo last year, I joined a local writing group. There I’ve received critiques on the novel and helpful brainstorming sessions. I leave every Tuesday night riding a tidal wave of euphoric creativity. I highly recommend that authors find one of their own to join.

AG: What was the querying process like for you? Any tips?

AP: Still ongoing, and difficult. I’m trying to tell a truly sprawling, epic tale with many narratives, so I have a hell of a time boiling it down to a single page query letter. I’ve only sent one such letter, for the prequel novel, and received a quick, well-deserved rejection.

AG:  Tell us how you ended up with your agent.

AP: Well, not exactly an agent, but To Vivify Evil has been picked up to appear chapter by chapter, in the serialized style of old, for the launch of the website JukePop Serials. I think I benefited by the unique nature of the site. They only asked for the first chapter, so I wasn’t left trying to summarize the whole thing.

AG:  Do you blog? Where can we find you on Twitter and the internet?

AP: I have a writing blog on Tumblr, The Literary Gamer, which I use to give little updates on my writing progress sometimes. But mostly I talk about my favorite things. You’ll find a ton of A Song of Ice and Fire entries. I mostly bitch about my day job and quote my favorite rappers (I might be the only fantasy author to listen to Kendrick Lamar as mood music), with the occasional writing news on Twitter, @ajp88. And I’m in the process of creating an author page on Facebook, which I find incredibly narcissistic and yet necessary. The whole notion makes me uncomfortable but that will go live as the September launch for To Vivify Evil nears, and I’ll be sure to link to it through my other online presences.

AG:  What online resources have you used to help your writing and querying and revision process?

AP: I’ve always frequented online writing communities and forums. Most of them are now sadly gone (but we had a good run, Ben). I check Writers' Digest often for leads on new agents and tips in general. One of my favorite authors, David B. Coe, contributes to a website called Magical Words. It’s a website devoted to helping aspiring authors, run by a collective of writers and agents in the business. They have daily articles about a wide range of topics pertinent to the industry, and quite often they ask for examples from readers’ own stories and give helpful guidance in the comments. Finally, I used author Holly Lisle’s wonderful selection of courses to help create the languages, maps, and cultures of my world.

AG: Any extra info you’d like to add or discuss?

AP: Thanks so much for the wonderful questions. I love talking about artistry of all sorts. Particularly Martin’s novels, so feel free to engage me in debates on all of the various theories!

 

Don’t you guys love that serial idea?  So Dickens!  J  Go check out Alex and his awesome-sounding serial!

Writer Interview: Cassandra Marshall

Guys, Cassandra Marshall's new book THE STARS FELL SIDEWAYS is out and I have a GREAT interview with her!  Make sure to check out Cassandra and STARS, because you're going to want to be on this bandwagon, kiddos!

AG:Where did you get the idea for your story?

 

CM: You know what's really sad? I honestly don't remember where the idea for STARS came from. I know parts of it, but not the first spark. :( It wasn't a dream and it certainly wasn't based on a real event. :P

AG: What was your query/submission process like?

 

CM: I wrote it after NaNo '10. I was exhausted by that book so I wanted something new and fun and different from anything else I was working on. I wrote it quickly, spurred on by writing buddies that were loving the pages. I finished it, let it sit for a while, edited, edited edited, let it sit, edited again, and started querying widely in March 2011. So many agents were loving it, just not enough to rep it. I let it sit a few months without thinking about it and when I re-read it I cried, I loved it so much and didn't want it to just sit in a drawer anymore. Earlier this year I won a trip to NYC to Backspace and met a few agents there and did another query push. Those agents also loved it, but not enough to rep it. Some even said they liked me and my writing, but they didn't know who they'd sell it to. So I figured I'd sell it right to the readers myself, as readers aren't worried about imprints and sales thresholds and all that stuff. I've done more editing since deciding to release it, several copy edits, polishes, and more polishes. Hopefully it's about as perfect as I can get it. And I hope the readers like it. The best thing about doing it myself is that I'll be able to easily tweak if people come back with glaring errors :)

AG:Tell us about MolliePup Press!

 

CM: It's named after my dog, Mollie. She has her own hashtag on Twitter, #MolliePup. I almost went with Wiggly Butt Press, but my friends know MolliePup so I went with that.

AG: What were the last five books you read?

 

CM: THE SELECTION - Kiera Cass

PALACE OF STONE - Shannon Hale

THE AGE OF MIRACLES - Karen Thompson Walker

UNBREAK MY HEART - Melissa Walker

JIM MORGAN AND THE KING OF THIEVES - James Mat Raney

AG: What are your other interests?

 

CM: Harry Potter, My Little Pony: FiM, my dog, crafting, and Jane Austen :)

AG: Do you believe Geek is the new Jock?

 

CM: I don't think I understand the question? Everyone is who they are, labels or not. The only thing that matters is whatever brings you joy.

Writer Interview: Nicole Steinhaus

Today’s interview is with Nicole Steinhaus, whose YA thriller is repped by the fabulous Bree Ogden. Check out Nicole’s success story!

AG: Tell us about your current project.

NS: The project currently out on submission is a YA suspense that follows a sixteen-year-old girl’s journey into proper diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder: Ellie Cox can’t remember--her childhood or how she got the tattoo on her stomach. It started out small...forgetting a drive home or a conversation with a friend. But her blackouts are getting worse, more difficult to disguise as forgetfulness. When Ellie goes missing, no one expects to find her in the apartment of another boy. Not even Ellie. Or her boyfriend, Shane. Another three days have escaped her and, if that isn’t bad enough, the boy, Griffin, keeps calling her “Gwen.” Ellie is branded a cheater at school and, fighting for Shane’s forgiveness, she struggles to regain her three days and understand why she lost time in the first place. After discovering her biological last name, Ellie sets out to learn more about her past. And it turns out “Gwen” isn’t just a name Griffin calls her. Gwen is a real person. Living inside Ellie. Created by Ellie’s childhood mind to protect her from the horror she used to call home. Gwen now wants to take over Ellie and live her own life...at Ellie’s expense.

AG: Is it your first book?

NS:This was the third manuscript I wrote, though the first after spending a few months intensely studying the craft of writing. I read craft books, devoured the entire YA section of my local library and basically trained myself to write under the guidance of Donald Maass and others alike.

AG: How did you tackle the revision process before you queried? Did you use CP’s?

NS: I signed with Bree Ogden of D4EO Lit. Agency almost exactly one year from when I finished the first draft. I rewrote the manuscript twice (start to finish) during that year. I used my trusted CPs, but also feedback from contests and online forums. I don’t have any crazy revision routines. I usually outline after the draft is complete to look for plot holes and assess character/plot arcs then--my favorite part--line and copy edits.

AG: What was the querying process like for you? Any tips?

NS: By the time I was querying the third version of my manuscript, I’d learned to query a handful of agents, wait for feedback, revise, then query another batch. Luckily, I didn’t have to query too many within that round. I guess my tip would be to do just that--not query dump. During the first few rounds of querying, I received such great feedback from industry professionals, that it, for the most part, guided my revisions. In time, I worked out most of the issues and the manuscript became what it is today.

AG: Tell us how you ended up with your agent.

NS: I laugh now because even though I’d researched Bree before querying her and had read she was looking for a “Dexter-type” story, because I don’t watch much TV, I had no idea who or what Dexter was. I mean, I’d heard of it--I’m not that far out of the loop, but I didn’t realize how to-her-taste my manuscript actually was. Fortunately, my writing style was to her taste as well.

AG: What is that relationship like? What is doing agent revisions like?

NS: I love working with Bree. She’s funny, easy to talk to, and--whether she knows this or not--is slowly training me out of my got-to-get-it-done-right-now tendencies. When I signed with her, Bree didn’t see any need for revisions before the submission process, so I haven’t had to go through that yet. She does have a second manuscript of mine which I’m waiting for her opinion on, so we’ll see...

AG: Tell us about the editor submission process from your experience.

NS: Can you say STRESSFUL? The huge difference between editor submissions and agent submissions is I don’t have worry every time I open my inbox if there’s going to be rejection letters. Bree handles all of that and every few weeks will send me an update of where we are--which I love. It gives me more time to WRITE and focus on my editorial internship with Entangled Publishing rather than worrying about what I should revise next.

AG: Do you blog? Where can we find you on Twitter and the internet?

NS: I run a community blog called YA Stands (http://yastands.blogspot.com) where several authors and I blog daily about everything YA (book reviews, writing craft, and industry tips). I’m also on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NicoleSteinhaus), and Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/#!/NicoleSteinhausAuthor)

AG:  What online resources have you used to help your writing and querying and revision process?

NS: I used to enter a lot of contests like WriteonCon and also used forums like those found at Agent Query and Query Tracker. I made a lot of friends and, more importantly, found some valuable CPs.

Thanks, Nicole! Sounds like you and Bree are a fantastic match, and I wish you all the best in the submission process! Go check out Nicole and her blog, everyone!