I've run into the same conversation a lot lately--with crit partners, friends, on Twitter... It has to do with revisions, and why they're important, and what they really MEAN.
Okay. This is an insanely common scenario when critiquing a beginning writer. (Note: "Beginning writer" = Someone who has not been seriously writing for publication. It doesn't mean you have to actually be new to writing itself. In fact, some of the most stubborn "beginning writers" have been writing their entire life. I know. I was one of them once upon a time.) They keep getting feedback like:
"There are too many characters in the beginning. I can't keep them all straight."
"This setting just doesn't feel authentic. I think you might want to do some thorough research."
"I'm not sure you should tell this story from an adult point of view. It doesn't feel like a teen story."
"I know you've worked really hard on this world building, but it's really dense and slows down the story."
"I'm not connecting with this character. He seems to just be an observer and isn't really contributing to the action."
"The writing here is good, but I'm not sure you want her to meet the mysterious Vampie boy in biology class because it's kind of overdone. Also, while I understand you're going for this half-vampire, half-kelpie thing, that name sounds...uh...stupid."
ETCETERA.
And this is the writer's response:
"Oh. I see what you're saying, but it has to be that way because of X reason."
"Well, it will all make sense later if you just keep reading."
"Yeah, but if I do that, then I can't do THIS later, and that is an INTEGRAL part of the plot."
Sometimes revising isn't really about just making what you have better. It's about letting GO of what you have. You don't ever have to listen to every suggestion (in fact, you shouldn't--that's another problem altogether), but if you kinda sorta understand what the person critiquing you is saying, yet you're resisting because "that would just be too hard" or "that's not how it goes" or "I don't know how to do that"?
LET GO!!!
If something in your gut says the story probably would be better if you could only find a way to do that, then find a way. Step outside the box of what you've already written. Allow yourself that freedom. Even if you've been thinking of this story for 15 years. Trust me on this. I've been there. When you write for yourself, you can write about anything your heart desires, but when you're writing for publication, what you're learning to do is no longer purely selfish.
What you're really doing, when revising, is learning to help a reader connect with the heart of the story. It is not so much about you anymore. The details and plot twists and characters you've so carefully planned are WORTHLESS, from a publication point of view, if none of your critique partners or friends can get into the story and no agent or editor seems to want to read it. If you insist on clinging to all your ideas, you will probably not get published.
The fact is, the details are not what make people love books. People don't love Harry Potter because the kids have to carry wands and speak Latin words to do spells, or because the Weasley family consists of this many members, or because it's told in Harry's POV. What grabs people is the heart of the story and the depth of the world and the excitement of the plot. You want to hone that, so you can change any specific part of the story that isn't working without losing the heart. Sometimes, change it drastically.
And trust me, it's no good to think, "Well, I'm just going to try and sell it anyway and see what happens." Because if an editor DOES buy it, it's quite possible they will suddenly want changes--HUGE changes. You don't have to agree, but you'll want a good reason as to why you're not taking the suggestion. Sometimes it's not even your editor who wants the change, but marketing--or even a chain bookstore! I know people who have made changes because the Barnes and Noble buyer wouldn't carry the book without them. You will want to be a flexible writer who can roll with that sort of thing. Otherwise your editor will be frustrated working with you, and you'll have to find some way of working it out because they will already have paid you an advance.
These are skills you should learn before you even try to sell anything. Your work will be much better for it!
I actually have another point I want to make that is kind of related to this topic, but this is already long, so I'll save that for later.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
My ancestors were totally gross
It's quite possible I get a little TOO into researching my historical fantasy. For one thing, they're in a fictional fantasy world. But I generally pick a real place and time they're BASED on and I get really obsessive about getting it right. And one of the many aspects to consider is cleanliness and sanitation. Now, generally, you don't want to get too deep into this. But for Between the Sea and Sky, I couldn't help but think about it, because Esmerine is a mermaid. And when you think of mermaids, you don't really think "sweat". Also, while I had to think a little bit about how mermaids would handle, erm, bathroom issues, they definitely weren't using a chamber pot.
So I got this book from the library called "The Dirt on Clean". It's a history of personal cleanliness in the western world. And you know, I knew Europeans were pretty nasty for awhile, but I figured it was because they didn't have the technology.
In actuality, I guess with all the plagues and everything, since no one knew how these diseases were spreading, they decided water--especially hot water--opened the pores which became a pathway for viruses to just zip right in and kill you. They decided they would keep clean not by bathing, but by changing their linen shirts. People were so excited about linen for awhile that painters actually started getting into white linen glamour shots.
I also found it interesting that people didn't used to want to live by the ocean or look at it. It was considered traumatizing, especially for ladies. Supposedly people didn't start painting the ocean frequently until the "picturesque" movement of the 18th century when suddenly people wanted to look at ruins and weirdly shaped trees and things like that. I've never really paid attention to when seascapes became popular...and of course bathing in the ocean didn't creep in until the 19th century.
But my favorite fact--and I'd read this before, but I still have great difficulty imagining it--people used to poop on the floor of the palace of Versailles.
Enjoy your stay on land, Esmerine!
So I got this book from the library called "The Dirt on Clean". It's a history of personal cleanliness in the western world. And you know, I knew Europeans were pretty nasty for awhile, but I figured it was because they didn't have the technology.
In actuality, I guess with all the plagues and everything, since no one knew how these diseases were spreading, they decided water--especially hot water--opened the pores which became a pathway for viruses to just zip right in and kill you. They decided they would keep clean not by bathing, but by changing their linen shirts. People were so excited about linen for awhile that painters actually started getting into white linen glamour shots.
I also found it interesting that people didn't used to want to live by the ocean or look at it. It was considered traumatizing, especially for ladies. Supposedly people didn't start painting the ocean frequently until the "picturesque" movement of the 18th century when suddenly people wanted to look at ruins and weirdly shaped trees and things like that. I've never really paid attention to when seascapes became popular...and of course bathing in the ocean didn't creep in until the 19th century.
But my favorite fact--and I'd read this before, but I still have great difficulty imagining it--people used to poop on the floor of the palace of Versailles.
Enjoy your stay on land, Esmerine!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
One Writer's Timeline
One of the most popular publishing questions: How long does X take?
Well, there is no set answer. AT ALL. But here is my timeline. (Does not include how long it took to write the books. That would take forever to dig up. This is just a business timeline.)
The main reason I thought of this post is, now that I'm waiting for Stuff To Happen with my second book, I keep trying to remember when Stuff Happened with my first book.
June 24th, 2005: Sent out first-ever batch of queries, for my first book SELKIE ROCK.
March 13th, 2006: Sent out first batch of queries for Magic Under Glass.
May 26th, 2008: Sent first batch of queries for Magic Under Glass v. 3, including one w/1st three chapters to Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
June 6th, 2008: Full request from Jennifer Laughran.
July 3rd, 2008: Offer of representation from Jennifer Laughran.
July 21st, 2008: Magic Under Glass goes out to editors.
August 13th, 2008: Accept offer from Bloomsbury.
January 13th, 2009: Receive contract for Magic Under Glass.
February 23rd, 2009: Receive check for Magic Under Glass.
March 31st, 2009: Receive editorial letter and line edits for Magic Under Glass. (The letter also was the first I heard of Magic Under Glass being published by Bloomsbury UK simultaneously, although it had obviously been in the works for awhile since the UK editor contributes to my editorial notes.)
mid-May: Magic Under Glass edits sent to editor.
June 3rd: My first look at the Magic Under Glass cover.
June 8th: Delivery and acceptance check for turning in Magic Under Glass revisions.
June 12th: Copy edits for Magic Under Glass arrive.
July 21st: Final pass pages arrive, along with the first ARC (more came a little later) and catalog with Magic Under Glass in it.
July 29th: Magic Under Glass UK cover.
September 1st: Magic Under Glass selected for Junior Library Guild for Spring 2010.
September 11th: First look at entire final jacket for Magic Under Glass.
September 14th: My second book, Between the Sea and Sky, turned in to my editor.
September 17th: First trade review for Magic Under Glass (Booklist). (Other reviews came in in a staggered way closer to the book's release.)
October 22nd: Receive cover flats for Magic Under Glass.
November 16th: Receive author copies for Magic Under Glass.
December 22nd: Book releases.
February 1st, 2010: Magic Under Glass releases in the UK.
mid-February, 2010: My agent sends my editor a proposal for 3rd book (Magic Under Stone).
March 11th, 2010: First foreign sale for Magic Under Glass (Spain).
March 18th, 2010: Offer for Magic Under Stone, second foreign sale for Magic Under Glass (Thailand).
April 1st, 2010: Magic Under Glass releases in Australia/New Zealand.
May 13th: Asked to contribute to Corsets and Clockwork anthology.
May 17th, 2010: Contract arrives for Magic Under Stone.
May 26th: Receive editorial letter for Between the Sea and Sky.
July 16th: Sent first round of edits for Between the Sea and Sky to editor.
And...that's where I'm at!
Well, there is no set answer. AT ALL. But here is my timeline. (Does not include how long it took to write the books. That would take forever to dig up. This is just a business timeline.)
The main reason I thought of this post is, now that I'm waiting for Stuff To Happen with my second book, I keep trying to remember when Stuff Happened with my first book.
June 24th, 2005: Sent out first-ever batch of queries, for my first book SELKIE ROCK.
March 13th, 2006: Sent out first batch of queries for Magic Under Glass.
May 26th, 2008: Sent first batch of queries for Magic Under Glass v. 3, including one w/1st three chapters to Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
June 6th, 2008: Full request from Jennifer Laughran.
July 3rd, 2008: Offer of representation from Jennifer Laughran.
July 21st, 2008: Magic Under Glass goes out to editors.
August 13th, 2008: Accept offer from Bloomsbury.
January 13th, 2009: Receive contract for Magic Under Glass.
February 23rd, 2009: Receive check for Magic Under Glass.
March 31st, 2009: Receive editorial letter and line edits for Magic Under Glass. (The letter also was the first I heard of Magic Under Glass being published by Bloomsbury UK simultaneously, although it had obviously been in the works for awhile since the UK editor contributes to my editorial notes.)
mid-May: Magic Under Glass edits sent to editor.
June 3rd: My first look at the Magic Under Glass cover.
June 8th: Delivery and acceptance check for turning in Magic Under Glass revisions.
June 12th: Copy edits for Magic Under Glass arrive.
July 21st: Final pass pages arrive, along with the first ARC (more came a little later) and catalog with Magic Under Glass in it.
July 29th: Magic Under Glass UK cover.
September 1st: Magic Under Glass selected for Junior Library Guild for Spring 2010.
September 11th: First look at entire final jacket for Magic Under Glass.
September 14th: My second book, Between the Sea and Sky, turned in to my editor.
September 17th: First trade review for Magic Under Glass (Booklist). (Other reviews came in in a staggered way closer to the book's release.)
October 22nd: Receive cover flats for Magic Under Glass.
November 16th: Receive author copies for Magic Under Glass.
December 22nd: Book releases.
February 1st, 2010: Magic Under Glass releases in the UK.
mid-February, 2010: My agent sends my editor a proposal for 3rd book (Magic Under Stone).
March 11th, 2010: First foreign sale for Magic Under Glass (Spain).
March 18th, 2010: Offer for Magic Under Stone, second foreign sale for Magic Under Glass (Thailand).
April 1st, 2010: Magic Under Glass releases in Australia/New Zealand.
May 13th: Asked to contribute to Corsets and Clockwork anthology.
May 17th, 2010: Contract arrives for Magic Under Stone.
May 26th: Receive editorial letter for Between the Sea and Sky.
July 16th: Sent first round of edits for Between the Sea and Sky to editor.
And...that's where I'm at!
Monday, August 2, 2010
5 YA Characters I'm tired of
Okay. There are a few characters that just keep popping up in contemporary YA (fantasy/paranormal or non) over and over in a proportionally high number to where I sometimes feel like I just keep reading the same book over and over. Consider this a brief rant.
1. Hippie Parents.
I grew up with hippie-ish (new age-y, really) parents. For one thing, the *average* parent of a teenager would now have been a teen in the 80s. Please update parents! I do seem some books that consider this, but still a surprising amount that seem stuck in the 60s as far as parents go. Also, the people I know who are children of hippie/new age parents don't roll their eyes about everything their parents do. Some things, yes. But within reason. Please stop playing hippie parents for purely comedic effect.
2. The Goth Girl.
Why is there ALWAYS a goth girl? Sometimes she's the friend, sometimes the protagonist, sometimes the love interest, sometimes the antagonist-turned-friend, sometimes the complicated figure who brings about a revelation about judging by appearance...she can fill almost any role, but she is EVERYWHERE in YA. Is it because goth is semi-timeless? Why is she so prevalent? Does every American high school really have one attractive, mysterious goth girl with an appropriately gothy name to match who is more than meets the eye?
3. Perky Friend.
Perky friend has been the main character's BFF since they were kids. Now, I love positive female friendships. I would rather have perky friend than bitch friend. Nevertheless, I'm a little tired of the perky best friend who is a little more flaky and wild than the MC so she can urge the MC in crazy situations. Also, if the MC has an older brother, she will have a crush on said brother. But really, it's the flakiness that drives me nuts. In this kind of story, the MC and her best friend seem SO close forever, like they've had sleepovers at each others houses since they were 6 years old, but the friendship just seems vapid, with contrived rituals to make us think they've been close friends forever.
4. Cool Grandma.
My grandma is pretty cool, in real life. I'm sure many of you have or did have cool grandmas. And I love awesome older women in YA. But I am starting to groan at the cool grandma in YA who is you know, so sassy and constantly reminds you how she is not like OTHER grandmas. You know, those other OLD PEOPLE grandmas everyone else has. Usually grandpa has already died or something, you don't see as many cool grandpas, although they pop up sometimes. Cool Grandma often likes to rock out in some fashion, I've noticed, but she never actually plays an instrument. (Why does she never play an instrument? That *would* be cool!!) And despite being so cool, she's still not that up on what the young people are doing sometimes.
5. Jerk Boy.
Jerk boy is kind of like jock boy and often overlaps, but he is a specific breed: the guy the MC is dating because he is the hot guy in school but she really discovers she likes this nerd/weirdo/musician/whatever boy. Jerk boy is the most typical boy ever. There is NOTHING redeeming or attractive about him even though we're told there is. We might get a mention of his abs, but otherwise, he boozes it up, wears baseball caps constantly and calls her "babe", but has no actual personality, not even a glimpse of humor or spark that might have attracted MC in the first place. I know we don't want to risk taking the limelight off nerd/weirdo/musician/whatever boy, but really, it won't harm the book to give jerk boy nuance.
That is all. Feel free to rant about characters you are tired of in the comments. Although I will add, since I got a bit snarky, I do still love a lot of books with these characters in them. Sometimes I think the author even pulls it off.
(But I still want more variety! PLEEEEASE!)
1. Hippie Parents.
I grew up with hippie-ish (new age-y, really) parents. For one thing, the *average* parent of a teenager would now have been a teen in the 80s. Please update parents! I do seem some books that consider this, but still a surprising amount that seem stuck in the 60s as far as parents go. Also, the people I know who are children of hippie/new age parents don't roll their eyes about everything their parents do. Some things, yes. But within reason. Please stop playing hippie parents for purely comedic effect.
2. The Goth Girl.
Why is there ALWAYS a goth girl? Sometimes she's the friend, sometimes the protagonist, sometimes the love interest, sometimes the antagonist-turned-friend, sometimes the complicated figure who brings about a revelation about judging by appearance...she can fill almost any role, but she is EVERYWHERE in YA. Is it because goth is semi-timeless? Why is she so prevalent? Does every American high school really have one attractive, mysterious goth girl with an appropriately gothy name to match who is more than meets the eye?
3. Perky Friend.
Perky friend has been the main character's BFF since they were kids. Now, I love positive female friendships. I would rather have perky friend than bitch friend. Nevertheless, I'm a little tired of the perky best friend who is a little more flaky and wild than the MC so she can urge the MC in crazy situations. Also, if the MC has an older brother, she will have a crush on said brother. But really, it's the flakiness that drives me nuts. In this kind of story, the MC and her best friend seem SO close forever, like they've had sleepovers at each others houses since they were 6 years old, but the friendship just seems vapid, with contrived rituals to make us think they've been close friends forever.
4. Cool Grandma.
My grandma is pretty cool, in real life. I'm sure many of you have or did have cool grandmas. And I love awesome older women in YA. But I am starting to groan at the cool grandma in YA who is you know, so sassy and constantly reminds you how she is not like OTHER grandmas. You know, those other OLD PEOPLE grandmas everyone else has. Usually grandpa has already died or something, you don't see as many cool grandpas, although they pop up sometimes. Cool Grandma often likes to rock out in some fashion, I've noticed, but she never actually plays an instrument. (Why does she never play an instrument? That *would* be cool!!) And despite being so cool, she's still not that up on what the young people are doing sometimes.
5. Jerk Boy.
Jerk boy is kind of like jock boy and often overlaps, but he is a specific breed: the guy the MC is dating because he is the hot guy in school but she really discovers she likes this nerd/weirdo/musician/whatever boy. Jerk boy is the most typical boy ever. There is NOTHING redeeming or attractive about him even though we're told there is. We might get a mention of his abs, but otherwise, he boozes it up, wears baseball caps constantly and calls her "babe", but has no actual personality, not even a glimpse of humor or spark that might have attracted MC in the first place. I know we don't want to risk taking the limelight off nerd/weirdo/musician/whatever boy, but really, it won't harm the book to give jerk boy nuance.
That is all. Feel free to rant about characters you are tired of in the comments. Although I will add, since I got a bit snarky, I do still love a lot of books with these characters in them. Sometimes I think the author even pulls it off.
(But I still want more variety! PLEEEEASE!)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Writing for the market, but not too much
I know one of the frustrating things about submitting a book to agents and editors is the whole, "We want something fresh and different we've never seen before! Except we also want something familiar and easy-to-market."
I was looking at writings from 4-5 years ago, when I was first taking professional writing seriously, and I'd forgotten how much I initially struggled with writing for the market. Throughout my teen years and early twenties, I think I found my writing voice working on various projects. 90% of them were about my fictional world Arestin, and could be best described as "fantasy slice-of-life family saga." If you're thinking it would be hard to market "fantasy slice-of-life family saga" ANYwhere, you are probably correct. It wouldn't have even fit in YA because the characters were all ages, not to mention that "fantasy slice-of-life" itself is hard to pull off. It would be as if J. K. Rowling announced a series about Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione raising their kids and their relationships with their friends and families in the peaceful years after they leave school. Except, you know, without even being J. K. Rowling.
And the other 10% was semi-historical fantasy rather like Magic Under Glass or Between the Sea and Sky except not nearly as cohesive.
Nevertheless, I don't think anyone would say I didn't have unique ideas, or that I couldn't write, or that my writing itself didn't have commercial appeal... I just couldn't get it all together.
The trouble, for me, was puzzling out a way to tell a unique story in a commercial way. I think that's really what people are asking for. I think everyone has a different path to figuring out how to do it. I had to learn how to give my characters something exciting to do, and a plot that put their magical abilities to use, without sacrificing my love of intimate, quiet moments and the grounding of everyday, relatable life.
There was some major turbulence along the way. I kept trying to write contemporary fantasy, sometimes an Arestin novel and sometimes not. Both were just turning out awful. I found out I can't write first-person present worth a damn, I hate my snarky narrators, and I don't want to write a humorous novel, although I can write a novel with humor IN IT. I was extremely prolific and experimental in '05-'06...and almost ALL of it was crap that makes me cringe worse than things I wrote in '02-'04 when I was just having fun with that fantasy slice-of-life fantasy saga. Some of it was very commercial and fun and who knows, it might have even sold...if I'd cared to finish it. It just. Wasn't. Me.
But I'm glad I took the time for both phases. I think my grasp of what is my OWN voice and how to make a story that is structured in a marketable way are both so much stronger for my years of writing for myself and my years of writing junk to try and fit a mold.
(Also, don't forget, I'm having a giveaway for an ARC of Everlasting! Only a handful of entrants right now, and all you need to do is comment on my last post! Yay!)
I was looking at writings from 4-5 years ago, when I was first taking professional writing seriously, and I'd forgotten how much I initially struggled with writing for the market. Throughout my teen years and early twenties, I think I found my writing voice working on various projects. 90% of them were about my fictional world Arestin, and could be best described as "fantasy slice-of-life family saga." If you're thinking it would be hard to market "fantasy slice-of-life family saga" ANYwhere, you are probably correct. It wouldn't have even fit in YA because the characters were all ages, not to mention that "fantasy slice-of-life" itself is hard to pull off. It would be as if J. K. Rowling announced a series about Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione raising their kids and their relationships with their friends and families in the peaceful years after they leave school. Except, you know, without even being J. K. Rowling.
And the other 10% was semi-historical fantasy rather like Magic Under Glass or Between the Sea and Sky except not nearly as cohesive.
Nevertheless, I don't think anyone would say I didn't have unique ideas, or that I couldn't write, or that my writing itself didn't have commercial appeal... I just couldn't get it all together.
The trouble, for me, was puzzling out a way to tell a unique story in a commercial way. I think that's really what people are asking for. I think everyone has a different path to figuring out how to do it. I had to learn how to give my characters something exciting to do, and a plot that put their magical abilities to use, without sacrificing my love of intimate, quiet moments and the grounding of everyday, relatable life.
There was some major turbulence along the way. I kept trying to write contemporary fantasy, sometimes an Arestin novel and sometimes not. Both were just turning out awful. I found out I can't write first-person present worth a damn, I hate my snarky narrators, and I don't want to write a humorous novel, although I can write a novel with humor IN IT. I was extremely prolific and experimental in '05-'06...and almost ALL of it was crap that makes me cringe worse than things I wrote in '02-'04 when I was just having fun with that fantasy slice-of-life fantasy saga. Some of it was very commercial and fun and who knows, it might have even sold...if I'd cared to finish it. It just. Wasn't. Me.
But I'm glad I took the time for both phases. I think my grasp of what is my OWN voice and how to make a story that is structured in a marketable way are both so much stronger for my years of writing for myself and my years of writing junk to try and fit a mold.
(Also, don't forget, I'm having a giveaway for an ARC of Everlasting! Only a handful of entrants right now, and all you need to do is comment on my last post! Yay!)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Interview with Angie Frazier on character creation + EVERLASTING giveaway!
Some months ago, I was talking to Angie Frazier within some blog comments about writing longterm about characters, and writing outside of the novel in which they appear. Angie told me that she had been writing about Oscar Kildare, the hero/love interest of Everlasting, going on 10 years, and has written side stories about Oscar and Camille outside of the novel.
I LOVE hearing that I'm not the only author who does this. The characters in Magic Under Glass are relatively new and don't "exist" outside the book, but I'm excited to see books on the shelf with some of my longterm characters. But also nervous. VERY nervous. They've been private to me for so many years, it feels like sending your children to college or something...you hope they'll be okay when they leave the nest. I asked Angie if I could interview her about Oscar and Camille and her experience, so here she is.
--How did you first get the idea to write about Oscar and Camille, and how have they changed over the years?
I honestly don’t remember how Oscar and Camille came into my head. I’ve always been drawn to star-crossed love stories, so I am sure I just wanted to create one of my own. What I do remember though, was falling very quickly in love with Camille and Oscar’s story. They were so different from one another—raised differently, lived differently—and yet they fit together so well.
Over the years, Oscar has done the most changing (which I’ll talk about in response to your next question!) but Camille has also done a lot of growing up. I have read a few reviews saying Camille frustrated them with her stubbornness, but that’s actually a quality that I’d worked to layer into her character over the years. I can’t feel sorry for it! I needed to test her mettle in order to develop her and I discovered she could handle a lot more than I originally thought. In the first few drafts I remember her crying way too much, and being much too dependent on Oscar and Ira and “chance.”
I feel like Camille’s character has grown stronger as I’ve worked with her the last decade.
--Is there an aspect of Oscar you didn't get to convey within the book that you wished you could? (Maybe in the future?)
This is the first time I’ve ever talked about this online, but there is an Alter Oscar. The very first Oscar I created had a TOTALLY different history than the Oscar that is in the final version on bookshelves. For one thing, he was much older—about 30 years old. He had been married to a girl in Ireland who had died, and feeling he had nothing left in Ireland, Oscar and his brother had immigrated to Boston. Only, on the way to Boston his brother had died. Oscar arrived in Boston alone, and soon became a thug for an Irish mob boss. When he ended up killing this mob boss (for reasons that would take too long to explain) he set out across the country. He stopped in California where he met Camille and her father, and then the rest took off from there.
I really love this past Oscar. Even though I edited him to be younger and without the dark and stormy past while doing revisions with my agent, this is still the Oscar I live with in my head.
--Ooh. I understand why you had to change it, but I like that Oscar backstory a LOT... Can you give us an idea of some of their side adventures that aren't in Everlasting?
There are some that are like little vignettes and others that could be a whole book if I wanted to take the time to write them. Let’s see…one of the best ones for exploring Oscar’s dedication to Camille and her father, and Camille’s own strength, was the one that involved a mutiny at sea. Who doesn’t like a dangerous mutiny at sea? ☺ Some take place on land, back in San Francisco, and work in Camille’s fiancé, Randall, more than what I was able to write in the first book. (There is a lot of Randall in the second book!) I really like those San Francisco stories, seeing Oscar and Randall at odds and Camille trapped in the middle. Yes, I do love a dramatic love triangle!
I kind of hope one day to have the time to write a few of these “episodic” stories, even if they are just for myself.
--Sounds like good website extras... By reading your guest post at Tempting Persephone, it sounds like you started imagining these side stories as a character development exercise that got out of control (well, or just turned out really awesome). Have you, or do you plan to, use this technique for future stories, or is it sort of special to the characters in Everlasting?
I haven’t used this method for any other story yet. In my middle grade novel out next March, Suzanna Snow is the main character and I clicked and connected with her right away. I didn’t really need to explore her and her relationships this way.
However, with a YA that I wrote last year, and plan to get back to soon and hopefully sell at some point (**crosses fingers**) I can definitely see myself creating side stories for the characters. They are very complex characters with a lot of personal demons. I can tell I’m going to need to handle them with care ☺
--Good luck with your new YA. Who doesn't love characters with lots of personal demons! Do you think getting to know the characters so well and think about them in different situations made revisions easier? Or harder?
I think it definitely made it more difficult to make massive changes, especially to Oscar’s character. By the time I was doing revisions with my agent, these characters were so close to me. They felt like my babies, really, and then needing to change Oscar’s backstory so drastically felt like I was betraying his character a little! But once I settled in with his new story, I was definitely happy with it.
Camille didn’t require a whole lot of change, but she did need to come to life a little more on the page. Hands down, she has been the most difficult character to write. But I also think she’s the most rewarding character for me, too.
Awesome answers, Angie. Thanks so much!
Also, when I asked Angie if she would do this interview months ago, it was in a picture post I'd put up on Livejournal of my own characters. I promised Angie I'd draw Oscar for her, so here it is! Of course, now that I've scanned it, somehow I can see that his head is too big and the lower half of his torso seems to be missing, but I hope she enjoys it anyway. ;)
Finally, I'm doing a giveaway for my Everlasting ARC! I will warn you, all the pages with physical descriptions of Oscar are dogeared for the purpose of doing the above fan art... But if you'd like to win, just comment on this post for an entry, and for an additional entry, follow me (@jackiedolamore) and Angie (@angie_frazier) on Twitter and let me know you did in your comment. Make sure you give me a way to contact you. This giveaway is US/Canada onlyl, I'm so sorry! I've been spending too much money lately. It will end 8/7.
I LOVE hearing that I'm not the only author who does this. The characters in Magic Under Glass are relatively new and don't "exist" outside the book, but I'm excited to see books on the shelf with some of my longterm characters. But also nervous. VERY nervous. They've been private to me for so many years, it feels like sending your children to college or something...you hope they'll be okay when they leave the nest. I asked Angie if I could interview her about Oscar and Camille and her experience, so here she is.
--How did you first get the idea to write about Oscar and Camille, and how have they changed over the years?
I honestly don’t remember how Oscar and Camille came into my head. I’ve always been drawn to star-crossed love stories, so I am sure I just wanted to create one of my own. What I do remember though, was falling very quickly in love with Camille and Oscar’s story. They were so different from one another—raised differently, lived differently—and yet they fit together so well.
Over the years, Oscar has done the most changing (which I’ll talk about in response to your next question!) but Camille has also done a lot of growing up. I have read a few reviews saying Camille frustrated them with her stubbornness, but that’s actually a quality that I’d worked to layer into her character over the years. I can’t feel sorry for it! I needed to test her mettle in order to develop her and I discovered she could handle a lot more than I originally thought. In the first few drafts I remember her crying way too much, and being much too dependent on Oscar and Ira and “chance.”
I feel like Camille’s character has grown stronger as I’ve worked with her the last decade.
--Is there an aspect of Oscar you didn't get to convey within the book that you wished you could? (Maybe in the future?)
This is the first time I’ve ever talked about this online, but there is an Alter Oscar. The very first Oscar I created had a TOTALLY different history than the Oscar that is in the final version on bookshelves. For one thing, he was much older—about 30 years old. He had been married to a girl in Ireland who had died, and feeling he had nothing left in Ireland, Oscar and his brother had immigrated to Boston. Only, on the way to Boston his brother had died. Oscar arrived in Boston alone, and soon became a thug for an Irish mob boss. When he ended up killing this mob boss (for reasons that would take too long to explain) he set out across the country. He stopped in California where he met Camille and her father, and then the rest took off from there.
I really love this past Oscar. Even though I edited him to be younger and without the dark and stormy past while doing revisions with my agent, this is still the Oscar I live with in my head.
--Ooh. I understand why you had to change it, but I like that Oscar backstory a LOT... Can you give us an idea of some of their side adventures that aren't in Everlasting?
There are some that are like little vignettes and others that could be a whole book if I wanted to take the time to write them. Let’s see…one of the best ones for exploring Oscar’s dedication to Camille and her father, and Camille’s own strength, was the one that involved a mutiny at sea. Who doesn’t like a dangerous mutiny at sea? ☺ Some take place on land, back in San Francisco, and work in Camille’s fiancé, Randall, more than what I was able to write in the first book. (There is a lot of Randall in the second book!) I really like those San Francisco stories, seeing Oscar and Randall at odds and Camille trapped in the middle. Yes, I do love a dramatic love triangle!
I kind of hope one day to have the time to write a few of these “episodic” stories, even if they are just for myself.
--Sounds like good website extras... By reading your guest post at Tempting Persephone, it sounds like you started imagining these side stories as a character development exercise that got out of control (well, or just turned out really awesome). Have you, or do you plan to, use this technique for future stories, or is it sort of special to the characters in Everlasting?
I haven’t used this method for any other story yet. In my middle grade novel out next March, Suzanna Snow is the main character and I clicked and connected with her right away. I didn’t really need to explore her and her relationships this way.
However, with a YA that I wrote last year, and plan to get back to soon and hopefully sell at some point (**crosses fingers**) I can definitely see myself creating side stories for the characters. They are very complex characters with a lot of personal demons. I can tell I’m going to need to handle them with care ☺
--Good luck with your new YA. Who doesn't love characters with lots of personal demons! Do you think getting to know the characters so well and think about them in different situations made revisions easier? Or harder?
I think it definitely made it more difficult to make massive changes, especially to Oscar’s character. By the time I was doing revisions with my agent, these characters were so close to me. They felt like my babies, really, and then needing to change Oscar’s backstory so drastically felt like I was betraying his character a little! But once I settled in with his new story, I was definitely happy with it.
Camille didn’t require a whole lot of change, but she did need to come to life a little more on the page. Hands down, she has been the most difficult character to write. But I also think she’s the most rewarding character for me, too.
Awesome answers, Angie. Thanks so much!
Also, when I asked Angie if she would do this interview months ago, it was in a picture post I'd put up on Livejournal of my own characters. I promised Angie I'd draw Oscar for her, so here it is! Of course, now that I've scanned it, somehow I can see that his head is too big and the lower half of his torso seems to be missing, but I hope she enjoys it anyway. ;)
Finally, I'm doing a giveaway for my Everlasting ARC! I will warn you, all the pages with physical descriptions of Oscar are dogeared for the purpose of doing the above fan art... But if you'd like to win, just comment on this post for an entry, and for an additional entry, follow me (@jackiedolamore) and Angie (@angie_frazier) on Twitter and let me know you did in your comment. Make sure you give me a way to contact you. This giveaway is US/Canada onlyl, I'm so sorry! I've been spending too much money lately. It will end 8/7.
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