Before I get into this blog, there are two things I need to address.
First, allow me the opportunity to apologize. In my previous entry, I stated that my blogs would post every Monday and Friday, no later than 12 o'clock noon MST.
The best-laid plans of mice and men...
I had scheduled this very blog to upload and post on the morning of this past Monday at 11 o'clock. Well, I scheduled the 11 o'clock part correctly. Hey, you live and you learn, right? I trust you will forgive a rookie's mistake.
Second, as I'm sure you are aware by now, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19. Now, I won't go into the how's and why's that led to their testing positive. And chances are by the time you read this, you will have read, seen, or listened to everything that has transpired thus far anyway.
For my part, I wish Trump goodwill & recovery. Do I want him out of office? For a myriad of reasons, yes. Yes, I do. But not like this. I want him removed the right way. The fair and square way. With a fair and square election. Where he at least has a shot at winning. In other words, let the two fight it out. Like political gladiators. Yes, my guy is Biden, but I want my guy to earn it, not have it handed to him.
As far as I'm concern, this is a chance for America to combine the slogans of both Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. This can be the moment where "we go high" and "be best".
Get well, Mr. President & First Lady.
Now, on to the rest of the post as it was originally intended.
A writer pens stories for three reasons. For themselves, for others, or a combination of the two.
For me, writing is more of a passion than a business. A form of expression. My thoughts given form and conveyed the way I want. Writing is a way to give the voices in my head a chance to have their say. To show who and what they are and the roles they play upon the mindscape. Not just in a constructional aspect, but the personality. The mechanics and motivations. The angel on one shoulder who is not so much as arguing with the devil on the other, but negotiating. The compromise resulting in a character with honor who may not be all good. Or one who is flawed but may not be all bad either. Rather, whichever shoulder-entity comes out the better at the bargaining table.
Earlier this year I wrote a story as a coping mechanism to deal with the anger and frustration I felt towards an impending and necessary surgery. I needed an outlet, a way to express the gamut of emotions I was feeling. The story became my catharsis, as I kept referring to it while I penned the story. It was intended to be a short story. But the more I wrote, the more the narrative evolved, morphed, became more layered and textured. So, as most writers are wont to do, I decided to keep writing until the tale arrived at a natural conclusion. Not only did the short story become a novella, I decided to turn it into an ongoing project. The story of the Iska. The Iska: Ma'auni being the first of the series. In this aspect, I wrote for myself.
Then there are those who may want to hear what I have to say. Who may enjoy the exploits of my various characters. So this I do for you the reader. JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit was inspired by bits and pieces of imagined tales he wrote for his children here and there.
I was asked how I termed my writing style. At first, I called it a beautiful disaster. A swirling tempest of terror and loveliness. But then I gave it some thought. If I had to give it a style, I'd say "speculative fiction". I'll have a storyline in my head, then allow the fleshing out to begin. I'll start thinking of a fight sequence or dramatic scene...then ask myself, what led up to this? I'll form several reasons, then choose one that has the most plausibility. That makes the reader think, "Well, in theory, I guess that could happen if...". To me, that makes for the best sci-fi and fantasy storylines. The ones that make you say, "Well if the conditions are right and such and such and whatnot and stuff". What was the motivation behind the action? Why did he/she do this/that? That gets into character development. Because when you the reader start looking at my characters less like a character and more like a person, that's when the magic happens...
I truly hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them. So, take a break from your world…visit for a while in mine. Come often. Stay for a spell.