Hey all;

The mind of a writer is a strange thing, in my opinion. Now, I can only speak for myself, so maybe it’s just my mind! But it is definitely what I would consider a different perspective.

I’m constantly listening to dialog between people as I go through my day. Then I often pop my characters into the conversation, mentally, and run through what they would have said in the same situation.

I see events in the daily news and wonder how I could take some of them and use them in a story. And I constantly have plots running through my head, twisting and moving things around to see what is viable and what isn’t. Weird, no?

Well, one thing is for sure…I’m never lonely even when I’m alone!

J.J.

Hey all;

Well, the next novel in my “Titan’s Legacy” series is almost out the door. I anticipate that it will be released near the end of next week. It’s been a labor of love and a bit of a slog, but mostly, it’s been a lot of fun. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

I’ll post the day of the release.

J.J.

Hey all;

Well, it’s fall. Yes, I know it isn’t official until the third week of September, but honestly, once the kids head back to school, it’s all over for summer. I personally love autumn. I choose to forget that it’s the precursor of winter because, here in Canada, a long fall can be a beautiful thing.

The colors as the leaves change, the warm days and crisp nights, the geese sadly heading south for the winter. Sure, there’s a bit of a mournful air to it all, but it’s still a pleasure to experience. And as I add the final touches to my next novel, I find the season invigorating. Winter is a time of intense writing for me, mainly because I’m not a lover of intense cold, deep snow and colorless landscapes. But for right now, any time I need to clear my head or I seek inspiration, a walk in the colors of autumn is a pure pleasure.

So I’m putting winter on a back shelf until it rears its ugly head and I’m going to embrace this season. At least while it lasts.

J.J.

Hey all;

I think that the question: what makes a good writer, is a terrific one, because it is so subjective. One person will claim that it is someone who’s grammar is impeccable. Another will say it is someone who can draw you into the story. Still a third will tell you that only someone who is an English Lit grad can truly end up as a good writer. Extraordinary. And, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, everyone is right. At least from their own point of view.

For myself, I think a good writer is a good story teller. I seriously will gloss over some fairly glaring grammatical errors when reading a novel if the story has pulled me into itself. I don’t excuse the errors, of course, but then I’ve never claimed to be perfect myself, so I tend not to expect perfection in others.

I’d say a perfect example is Dan Brown. Love him or hate him, formulaic or not, his stories draw you in and then take you along for a wild ride. That’s a good story teller.

J.J.

Hey all;

As a writer I often, or always, become attached to my main characters. Sure, some subordinate characters come and go, but my main group (which has gotten a bit large in my current work in progress) is very special to me. So when it comes time to put some or all of them in mortal danger or even, gasp, kill one off, I’m quite torn.

After all, these are almost friends of mine (cue the Psycho music here). I know who they are, what makes them tick. I am, in many ways, both mother and father to them. Truly, if not for me, they would not exist. And then comes that moment when one, or more, has to go. It’s quite wrenching actually.

I’m sure other authors go through the same emotional ride. But in the end, if it is necessary for the story that X has to die, then you must suck it up and just do it. And then eat some cookies and cream ice cream, in their honor, of course.

J.J.

Hey all;

I’m always fascinated to hear how other authors create their main characters (MC’s). Everyone is different, of course. Some use people from their own lives; friends, family, co-workers, etc. Some use themselves at different points in their lives. For myself, it’s a bit different.

My MC’s seem to just walk in the front door of my mind, smack me upside the head and inform me that they have a story to tell. Yeah, weird. I know. But Justin McLeod, my MC in the Titan’s Legacy series, just appeared one day as I was wracking my brain over who would lead the new Titans in my story. Yup, all five feet, four inches of him. Skinny, scruffy, messy brown hair and the biggest blue eyes I’d ever seen. At least, that’s how I first perceived him. The same is true of all of my novels, although the order of appearance can be different.

With the Titans, I had the story laid out in my head and Justin showed up later. With my other novels though, often the MC pops up and the story grows from him/her. It’s totally random and, for me, keeps my interest and my enthusiasm high while writing the next story. Your mileage may vary. But however you do it, when you find your MC, or they find you, you’ve got the anchor around which your tale will grow. And I think that’s the most important part of any story.

J.J.

Hey all;

Just an update to keep you all in the loop. My second book in the Titan’s Legacy series is heading for a launch date around mid September…ish. I won’t reveal the title yet, but I will put it out there a few days before release. I thank all those who’ve been inquiring about the next book and I just wanted to give you a heads up.

J.J.

Hey all;

Some people have asked how a person who is writing deals with writer’s block. You know what I mean; you hit a wall in your writing where your mind goes blank. No inspiration, no ideas, just some simplistic soundtrack repeating over and over in your mind. Mine is usually the chase music from old Bugs Bunny cartoons.

My answer is simplistic but effective, at least for me. Keep writing. Smash away at the keyboard. Write drivel. Write about your MC’s Mom, or his/her favorite hockey team from their youth, or that weird scar they have on their ankle. Write anything. But write. Because somewhere in the middle of that mess, something will connect in your mind and zing!, you’ll be back on track and running away with your story again.

Now, on the other side of that coin are the times when you are inspired. When the ideas are flowing faster than the blood in your veins or the sweat on your brow. You can’t stop. You don’t want to stop. Even though you have to get dinner ready, or you have to meet your bestie for lunch, or <insert real world problem here>. You know what to do then, right? Yup. DON’T STOP.

Never cut off your muse. Maybe you can only use ten percent of the stuff flowing on to your computer. Doesn’t matter. That’s what editing is for. The important thing is to write it down while it’s flowing. Because that writer’s block thing? Yeah, that’s waiting right around the corner. So write and don’t quit.

J.J.