I'm on Operation Awesome today, with a post on mental illness and fantasy fiction. Click on over and see!
NOTE: I'm revisiting a post from Oct. 2012 today, since it offers some insights on my thoughts on urban fantasy. Enjoy!
So the fabulous Yelena Casale, writer of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, got this idea to do a Halloween Urban Fantasy Blog Hop, and I got on board. My current work-in-progress, Crow's Rest, is my first full-length urban fantasy novel. I've written some UF short stories (which will likely never see the light of day) and I've always been a fan of the genre as a reader, so I figured why not join the blog hop?
All of our posts will go up on our blogs today, October 24, and each site is offering a giveaway! And we're answering some questions (brace yourself, it's going to be a long post) to help you all get to know us better. Here are my answers:
10. Which hero/heroine would you love to be on
Halloween?
I'd love to be able to dress up as Xena, warrior princess, because it's such a combination of badassness and ridiculous campiness. Hmm, I used to be able to manage her ululation--I wonder if I still can?
So the fabulous Yelena Casale, writer of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, got this idea to do a Halloween Urban Fantasy Blog Hop, and I got on board. My current work-in-progress, Crow's Rest, is my first full-length urban fantasy novel. I've written some UF short stories (which will likely never see the light of day) and I've always been a fan of the genre as a reader, so I figured why not join the blog hop?
All of our posts will go up on our blogs today, October 24, and each site is offering a giveaway! And we're answering some questions (brace yourself, it's going to be a long post) to help you all get to know us better. Here are my answers:
1.
What do you love about the urban fantasy genre (reading and writing)?
For urban fantasy, it's the possibilities that hook me. Like magical realism, it's our own, recognizable world, but with the possibility of magic and something extraordinary. That's been my favorite part of writing Crow's Rest.
My first book, Spirits from the Vasty Deep, is historical fiction and I did a ton of research before even starting to write. Historical fiction involves world-building as well, but there's also a lot of pressure to get the details correct.
But with Crow's Rest, I had the freedom to indulge all the possibilities without the restrictions of a historical basis. I've made up words, folklore, spells, traditions, an entire present-day town. Sure, I drew on Celtic and other mythologies, but it was more of a guideline.
And urban fantasy is a great place to get your geek on, both as a writer and a reader. So many esoteric facts and fantasies come together within the genre!
For urban fantasy, it's the possibilities that hook me. Like magical realism, it's our own, recognizable world, but with the possibility of magic and something extraordinary. That's been my favorite part of writing Crow's Rest.
My first book, Spirits from the Vasty Deep, is historical fiction and I did a ton of research before even starting to write. Historical fiction involves world-building as well, but there's also a lot of pressure to get the details correct.
But with Crow's Rest, I had the freedom to indulge all the possibilities without the restrictions of a historical basis. I've made up words, folklore, spells, traditions, an entire present-day town. Sure, I drew on Celtic and other mythologies, but it was more of a guideline.
And urban fantasy is a great place to get your geek on, both as a writer and a reader. So many esoteric facts and fantasies come together within the genre!
2. Who is the sexiest supernatural creature? Who’s
the scariest?
The sexiest supernatural character? That would be Damon Salvatore. Oh wait--you didn't want that specific of an answer? But seriously, I don't actually think that vampires are inherently sexy (necrophilia, anyone?)--I think that comes from some brilliant writers andIan Somerhalder actors having fun with those characters.
I do think it's curious that you can find examples of the same creature as hero and villain within the paranormal and urban fantasy genres. A demon might stoke one person's fires, but be the worst nightmare for another. Except zombies--for a long time, that was the creature I was most scared of, and I can't imagine anyone thinking an animate rotting corpse would be sexy. Oh wait, I just remembered the movie Fido.
The sexiest supernatural character? That would be Damon Salvatore. Oh wait--you didn't want that specific of an answer? But seriously, I don't actually think that vampires are inherently sexy (necrophilia, anyone?)--I think that comes from some brilliant writers and
I do think it's curious that you can find examples of the same creature as hero and villain within the paranormal and urban fantasy genres. A demon might stoke one person's fires, but be the worst nightmare for another. Except zombies--for a long time, that was the creature I was most scared of, and I can't imagine anyone thinking an animate rotting corpse would be sexy. Oh wait, I just remembered the movie Fido.
3. If you could make any supernatural creature,
what would it look like and what powers would it have?
I created a type of fae called a corbin for Crow's Rest. The corbin usually cross over into our world by inhabiting crows, but in specific circumstances they can take over human bodies. If it's with the host's cooperation, then the human takes a dreamy sojourn into Fairy while the corbin inhabits the body. If it's without the human's cooperation, and both consciousnesses are fighting for the body, it usually ends in madness for the human.
In Crow's Rest, some of the corbin are no longer satisfied with crow bodies. Or even the occasional accommodating human. They want to come here in their natural forms, with their full, terrible powers intact. It’s happened before, leading to the fall of Rome and the Dark Ages.
I created a type of fae called a corbin for Crow's Rest. The corbin usually cross over into our world by inhabiting crows, but in specific circumstances they can take over human bodies. If it's with the host's cooperation, then the human takes a dreamy sojourn into Fairy while the corbin inhabits the body. If it's without the human's cooperation, and both consciousnesses are fighting for the body, it usually ends in madness for the human.
In Crow's Rest, some of the corbin are no longer satisfied with crow bodies. Or even the occasional accommodating human. They want to come here in their natural forms, with their full, terrible powers intact. It’s happened before, leading to the fall of Rome and the Dark Ages.
4. Do you have any Halloween rituals?
I don't! I've gotten kind of lazy about Halloween since we don't have kids, my nieces and nephews are mostly grown, and our isolated house doesn't lend itself to trick-or-treaters.
But last year on Halloween, I was actually radioactive. The radioactive iodine for my thyroid cancer was administered on October 31, and it's a little different from most radiation treatments because you are radioactive yourself for some days. So I spent it locked in a room, alone and watching stuff on the computer--interrupted by phone calls where everyone joked about if I was glowing!
So if I go for a costume this year, I'm thinking glow paint or glow sticks.
I don't! I've gotten kind of lazy about Halloween since we don't have kids, my nieces and nephews are mostly grown, and our isolated house doesn't lend itself to trick-or-treaters.
But last year on Halloween, I was actually radioactive. The radioactive iodine for my thyroid cancer was administered on October 31, and it's a little different from most radiation treatments because you are radioactive yourself for some days. So I spent it locked in a room, alone and watching stuff on the computer--interrupted by phone calls where everyone joked about if I was glowing!
So if I go for a costume this year, I'm thinking glow paint or glow sticks.
5. Walking at midnight in a forest on Halloween –
crazy, scary or adventurous?
It would be adventurous for me--I'm kind of a nature girl, and as long as I could stay awake until midnight I'd be up for it!
It would be adventurous for me--I'm kind of a nature girl, and as long as I could stay awake until midnight I'd be up for it!
6. What is your worst fear?
Yeah, I'm not answering this one. I'm just superstitious enough to not want to attract the attention of what scares me most!
Yeah, I'm not answering this one. I'm just superstitious enough to not want to attract the attention of what scares me most!
7. What is one of your character’s worst fear?
For Lonan, the corbin who's been sent to stop his scheming kin from invading, it's fear of what happens if he fails. There was an attempted invasion years before, which was stopped--but not without casualties. And see question number three above for the stakes if he fails.
For Lonan, the corbin who's been sent to stop his scheming kin from invading, it's fear of what happens if he fails. There was an attempted invasion years before, which was stopped--but not without casualties. And see question number three above for the stakes if he fails.
8. What is your favorite Urban Fantasy novel?
I have lots of favorites (all of Charles de Lint's books, the Borderland series, the first few books in Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series, and Christopher Moore), but the Charles de Lint book I often recommend is Svaha. I think it has some great concepts, including a dystopian twist, and the story and writing is more accessible for a newbie to the genre. My favorite Christopher Moore book is A Dirty Job.
I have lots of favorites (all of Charles de Lint's books, the Borderland series, the first few books in Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series, and Christopher Moore), but the Charles de Lint book I often recommend is Svaha. I think it has some great concepts, including a dystopian twist, and the story and writing is more accessible for a newbie to the genre. My favorite Christopher Moore book is A Dirty Job.
9. Who is your favorite Urban Fantasy hero/heroine?
There's some definite crossover between paranormal and urban fantasy, so I would have to say Evie from Kiersten White's Paranormalcy series. She's fun and sassy at first, and as she develops as a character, reveals surprising depth.
There's some definite crossover between paranormal and urban fantasy, so I would have to say Evie from Kiersten White's Paranormalcy series. She's fun and sassy at first, and as she develops as a character, reveals surprising depth.
I'd love to be able to dress up as Xena, warrior princess, because it's such a combination of badassness and ridiculous campiness. Hmm, I used to be able to manage her ululation--I wonder if I still can?
Today has not gone as planned! When I realized last night I didn't have a post scheduled for today, I thought "I can do it after I get home from class."
I failed to account for the construction workers picking today to saw the concrete pavers. I stuck it out in my office for long enough to tackle some emails and vital Facebooking, and then fled onto the other side of the house. Where I took advantage of the .99 book-birthday sale for Rachel Harris's My Not So Super Sweet Life and plowed through about half of it.
I did manage to get in a a full workday last Thursday (in spite of more sawing and sledgehammering), and got the bulk of my 1st pass edits done. Can't believe we're already at that milestone in Crow's Rest edits! Though I think since my release date is only 13 months away we're technically behind schedule, lol.
I ended up finishing them over the weekend, only to run into email snafus when I tried to send them back to my editor. So frustrating! But I've discovered (or is that re-discovered?) that nothing makes you feel like a Real Writer than that determination to work in spite of annoyances.
On that note, I need to focus on more bookly things so for May 5th and May 19th I'll be scheduling some Old Favorite blog posts, aka reruns. I'll still be sharing some new content on Operation Awesome over the next month, but look for a new, refreshed muse in June, when I'm not feeling so squeezed!
I failed to account for the construction workers picking today to saw the concrete pavers. I stuck it out in my office for long enough to tackle some emails and vital Facebooking, and then fled onto the other side of the house. Where I took advantage of the .99 book-birthday sale for Rachel Harris's My Not So Super Sweet Life and plowed through about half of it.
I did manage to get in a a full workday last Thursday (in spite of more sawing and sledgehammering), and got the bulk of my 1st pass edits done. Can't believe we're already at that milestone in Crow's Rest edits! Though I think since my release date is only 13 months away we're technically behind schedule, lol.
I ended up finishing them over the weekend, only to run into email snafus when I tried to send them back to my editor. So frustrating! But I've discovered (or is that re-discovered?) that nothing makes you feel like a Real Writer than that determination to work in spite of annoyances.
On that note, I need to focus on more bookly things so for May 5th and May 19th I'll be scheduling some Old Favorite blog posts, aka reruns. I'll still be sharing some new content on Operation Awesome over the next month, but look for a new, refreshed muse in June, when I'm not feeling so squeezed!
If you followed the link from Monday (it says Sunday, but it should be 4/4), you saw that I announced I've joined the Spencer Hill Press family with my book Crow's Rest! I joined Publisher's Marketplace to do some other research, and was able to find the announcement:
"Children's: Young Adult
Angelica Jackson's CROW'S REST, in which a girl is determined to reclaim her almost-boyfriend from the Fae with the help of the creature who stole his body in the first place, to Owen Dean at Spencer Hill Press, in a nice deal, for publication in May 2015 (World).
Rights: Rebecca Mancini of Rights Mix"
Squee! Now it seems really real! I know that sounds shamefully incoherent for a writer, but we've got to have those moments too, right?
"Children's: Young Adult
Angelica Jackson's CROW'S REST, in which a girl is determined to reclaim her almost-boyfriend from the Fae with the help of the creature who stole his body in the first place, to Owen Dean at Spencer Hill Press, in a nice deal, for publication in May 2015 (World).
Rights: Rebecca Mancini of Rights Mix"
I'm over on OA today with a special announcement--or at least, special to me! Click on over and see!
Back in the beginning of March, we sent out a call on Operation Awesome for applications from possible new members. I couldn't resist pranking my fellow operatives with the following entry:
Hello Operation Awesome,
I heard of your call for new members, and I've been an enthusiastic lurker on the blog since the very beginning. I would love to join such an awesome group of bloggers!
I'm currently living in Edinburgh with my husband and three children, though I do travel quite a bit as well. I've written a popular series for children--which spans the length of the school years for several characters--and the novels I've written for an adult audience have gotten some notice recently. I am well familiar with rejections from agents and publishers, as well as juggling the demands of family and book tours, so I believe I may be able to offer some humble contributions to Operation Awesome.
Please let me know if you have any other questions for me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours in hope,
Joanne "J.K." Rowling
Here are my books in case you haven't heard of them:
Harry Potter series
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June 1997)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July 1998)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July 1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July 2000)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June 2003)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July 2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July 2007)
Other children's books
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
Quidditch Through the Ages (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (4 December 2008)
Adult books
The Casual Vacancy (27 September 2012)
Cormoran Strike series
The Cuckoo's Calling (as Robert Galbraith) (18 April 2013)
The Silkworm (as Robert Galbraith) (24 June 2014)
After deciding to not to send it from a faked email address, I claimed it came to my personal mail because "she wants to make sure she has a real chance at it before giving out her contact info".
It could happen, right? Why wouldn't JK Rowling decide the next chapter in her life is to join a group blog? Hee hee
Hello Operation Awesome,
I heard of your call for new members, and I've been an enthusiastic lurker on the blog since the very beginning. I would love to join such an awesome group of bloggers!
I'm currently living in Edinburgh with my husband and three children, though I do travel quite a bit as well. I've written a popular series for children--which spans the length of the school years for several characters--and the novels I've written for an adult audience have gotten some notice recently. I am well familiar with rejections from agents and publishers, as well as juggling the demands of family and book tours, so I believe I may be able to offer some humble contributions to Operation Awesome.
Please let me know if you have any other questions for me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours in hope,
Joanne "J.K." Rowling
Here are my books in case you haven't heard of them:
Harry Potter series
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June 1997)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July 1998)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July 1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July 2000)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June 2003)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July 2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July 2007)
Other children's books
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
Quidditch Through the Ages (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (4 December 2008)
Adult books
The Casual Vacancy (27 September 2012)
Cormoran Strike series
The Cuckoo's Calling (as Robert Galbraith) (18 April 2013)
The Silkworm (as Robert Galbraith) (24 June 2014)
After deciding to not to send it from a faked email address, I claimed it came to my personal mail because "she wants to make sure she has a real chance at it before giving out her contact info".
It could happen, right? Why wouldn't JK Rowling decide the next chapter in her life is to join a group blog? Hee hee
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