Stretching the Tension in Writing

To all of my fellow writers out there, how many times have you heard from writing instructors and the like, that you should stretch out the tension point in your writing. How many of you have heard that you can’t give the reader what they want right away. For example, a novice might write a sentence like so:


    The cow jumped over the moon and as it streaked back to earth, landed in the shoot of a meat processing plant.


Whereas an expert would stretch this sentence out more and make the reader wait for the “punch-line” at the end when the cow meets its fate. For example:


    The cow streaked into the air, looking left and right while wearing goggles for eye protection. The cow marveled at its surrounding while the earth grew smaller below its hooves. Birds casually flew through the air and doing a double take at the sight of a cow in their territory. It was such an odd sight that the flying creatures began to circle the cow as it flew through the air. The birds flew until they could fly no longer. The cow ascended further and further, up in and through the earth’s atmosphere until the bovine creature found itself looking down on the moon which was far underneath its rudders and nipples. Terror did not reach the cows eyes until it found itself falling like a rock back down to earth. As the cow neared the earth and what was directly underneath it, the cow began flapping its four legs frantically in an attempt to avoid its eventual fate. Alas, the cow’s desperate act at salvation were unrewarded. The cow plopped down into the shoot of a meat processing plant. Before the grinding blades took the creatures life, the cow had smiled at the thought that it had seem something no other cows could ever imagine.


As you can see, my example runs a little long but I think you get the idea: to build up the tension as much as possible before you give the reader their payoff for continuing to read. The age old adage that I have heard from many a published writer is that, if you show a gun on the dresser in act one, the gun should be fired by act three.
While I do like this rule and understand the meaning behind it, I also try not to overuse it. I guess its like they say: everything in moderation, including moderation. At the same time, while I do utilize this rule, I also feel as though this technique can be utterly frustrating, especially as the reader. Sometimes, with certain writers, it can get to the point where the writer describes every little detail from how the wind feels blowing against the grass to every piece of food on a table, its origins and down to how it was cooked, by who and even what that person was wearing with in depth detail down to the underwear. Okay, I admit that I am exaggerating a bit but you get the idea. The practice of delaying the gratitude in order to squeeze more tension out of a scene and keep a reader on the edge of their seat until they fall off can be overdone. It is possible to fill a scene with so much detail that it bogs down the paragraph or chapter. I feel as though this technique, if overused, can put off a reader and force them to put down your book which is the last thing any writer wants.

Interview - Andre Alan

Hi Friends,

Everyone hopes to get recognized and appreciated for their efforts and the same is applicable to all the very promising and very talented debut authors out there who have given us great books but are sometimes not appreciated to their full extent mostly due to lack of publicity. So I bring to you every week one very talented new author and get you acquainted with him so that we never miss out on any of their great works!

This week I have with me Andre Alan who is the author of the YA, Sci-fi, fantasy novel Heaven's Fate which is part of a trilogy and his next book in the series is coming out in January 2014.

Andre Alan is from Hartford, CT and attended college in New Haven, CT. After graduating with a degree in international business and a brief career as an IT data analyst, Andre Alan decided to follow his lifelong passion of creating fiction entertainment. With a small amount of artistic talent and after a brief stint at poetry and comics, the timing was ripe to pursue fantasy novel writing. Andre Alan is avid video gamer (when there is time) and an addict for ramen noodles. Andre is a sports fanatic and a lifelong student of business and entertainment.

Welcome to Njkinny's World of Books, Andre! 
Lets grab a cup of coffee and start the interview.

Q1. Tell us something about yourself. 

I was born in Manchester, CT but grew up and went to school in Hartford, CT. After that I went to college in New Haven, CT and majored in International
Business. I have been drawing and creating characters since childhood, so it seemed obvious to start a business doing something that you love.

Q2. In one sentence, what is your book Heaven's Fate about?

Heaven's Fate is a tale of choices between free will and fate; revenge, love and relationships between family, friends and foes.

Q3. What inspired you to write this book? 

I was inspired by a few different sources; the idea for the book came from  my time in college when I watched a lot of Dragon Ball Z anime. What inspired me to actually sit down and develop these characters into something worth reading was when I picked up the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

Q4. Do you have a specific writing style? 

Not really.

Q5. How did you come up with the title? 

This series revolves around Heaven and all of the different aspects associated with it. From the deceased father to the spiritual realm that Thame enters in order to communicate with Masaya. This book also has to do with the fate of the characters and how they handle it and whether they accept it or not.

Q6. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 

                If I had to choose something that the readers could grasp from my book is the fact that anything is possible. As long as you believe in yourself then you can find a strength that is unmatched through dedication and hard work. Do things your own way because at the end of the day, you are only responsible for yourself; only you will be able to answer for the things that you have done in your life.

Q7. What was your technique when planning your plot and characters? 

I like to free flow and develop the plot and characters as I write the story. I feel like if I don’t plot everything out before hand it gives my mind the free range to roam and explore and put the characters into dynamic and interesting circumstances.

Q8. What do you love most about writing? 

I love when I get into a flow and words are just pouring from my mind so fast that I cant write them down fast enough. Sometimes there are just instances as a writer when you are clicking on all cylinders and new ideas are flowing seamlessly.

Q9. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? 

                If I could, I would probably spend a little bit more time on the relationships between different characters like the budding romance between Thame and Charlotte. The off kilter “father-son” relationship between Miles and Merle and also the family dynamic for Thame and Autumn.

Q10. What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life? 

                All of the above and plenty more. The world creation took extensive research when I had to create an earth-like world yet larger than the earth and has two moons. After that it was developing the characters and then trying to constantly put them into situations where they will face adversity so that way the readers can connect with them. I don’t have a degree in writing or English or anything like that so I am very dependent upon outside help such as editors who help to polish the novel into a gem that is readable and with that comes all type of concerns like how good are the people that you are working with and more importantly, how trust worthy are they. When you couple all that with the writer himself trying to battle of the psychological demons that pop up in ones mind from writing fatigue, to questioning whether or not this material is even good enough and will people like it. From dealing with owning your own publishing company and building the website to working with the distribution company in order to release the book.

Q11. Do you see writing as a career? 

                To me, writing is one of the ultimate careers, similar to golf. Golfers can play for 60 years if they choose to and that cannot be said for many professions. Writing is one of those professions where you can start writing when you are young and continue to do it as long as your fingers can still move and your brain can still form cohesive sentences and interesting characters.

Q12.Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? 

                The editing process is probably the most challenging for me during the writing process. I get caught up in trying to make every sentence too perfect.

Q13. What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

                It’s always tough for me to first start writing and to get the flow going. The hardest part had to be getting all of the ideas written down into something that makes sense. It’s easy to have a story in your head that you think will entertain people, it is an out-of-this-world experience to go about the process of making those ideas into something that you can hold in your hand.

Q14. Do you have any advice for other writers? 

                Continue to work on your craft and read a lot – you can read books within the genre that you write in but be sure to read other genre’s as well. By reading successful authors you can see, first hand, what has worked for them and what elements they used to create a popular, mainstream novel. Then incorporate some of those characteristics into your own writing style.

Q15. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

                To each and every one of you out there, you are greatly appreciated and I hope that my stories are entertaining. I hope that my stories help in some way, even if only to cause laughter.

Q16. What are your current projects? 

                I am currently working on book 3 titled Arcana’s Sayge, the last novel in the Heaven Trilogy, which will tell the complete tale of Thame and his journey. I am also working on a short story series that I release monthly on my blog: Ryukage Brainwork.

Q19. Where can people find you on the Internet?

                For more information about the author Andre Alan please check the official EVapor Entertainment company website: https://www.evaporent.com and also social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreAlanAuthor and https://www.facebook.com/HeavensTrilogy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrealanauthor and https://twitter.com/MaxVapor

Q20. What’s next up for you, writing-wise?

                Next I am probably going to release another novel but this one will not be a three part series and it will also appease to one specific audience. The next book I plan to release is a hard core science fiction novel about artificial intelligence, advanced technology, and robots but also how these concepts relate to laws, work, and “human” rights.

Q21. Before you go how about an excerpt from your book to intrigue and tantalize us.

You Can Run

          Miles watched the sun rise over tall buildings in the distant downtown of Consonance. He had no trouble finding the coordinates for the weapon shop, which was located in a rural area on the outskirts of Eioda’s major east coast city. This city was renowned for its magicians. Elves traveled here from the eastern continent and went to the Southern Consonance Sorcerer University in order to exchange knowledge and materials with human wizards. Miles looked down at the tiled roof of the blacksmith shop, and the massive chimney letting out a continuous stream of smoke. He had observed the foot traffic for the store; business was doing well. He looked down upon his quarry like a hawk, watching the ebb and flow of people visiting the building. As noon approached, Miles finally allowed himself to move from his vantage point from the top floor of the fifty-story hotel. His prey had just arrived.

          Exiting the weapon-smith shop within thirty minutes, Thame and Charlotte were empty handed. Miles noticed the man was no longer carrying that strange, color-shifting box he had entered with. He realized the material for the weapon must have been inside. Miles sat down on a sofa in the den of his hotel room, legs crossed and hands placed behind his head. He practically sank into the soft cushions. Miles let a rare smile spread across his face and enjoyed the moment; later that night, his work would begin.

****

          “Who are you? What do you want?” asked Declan, clutching his chest, trying to stem the rivulets of dark red gushing from a deep slash in his chest. Blood dripped to the floor from the open wound. He slowly crawled backward, leaving every surface smeared with streaks of crimson.

          Miles Xavier did not respond. He saw no need to rush the kill. Savoring the moment of death is where he found out a person’s true nature. He stepped forward agonizingly slow, tormenting his victim.

          “The money is in the safe. Just please take it and leave,” said Declan.

          “Where is the sword?” asked Miles.

          “I don’t know. Just pick whichever one you want. You can have them all.”

          “The one you made today. You know of which I speak, elf.”

          “Please don’t kill me.”

          Miles sent his blade whirling in a low arch and stopped the weapon’s momentum suddenly. This skilled move caused the blood dripping from the metal to splash onto the ash darkened stone floor. His straight-blade jian sword was now free of blood. The shining silver metal seemed to take on a life of its own as forge fire was reflected down the blade. Miles slowly stalked toward his helpless victim.

****

          Charlotte Landry quickened her pace toward the weapons shop. After hours waiting for Thame to return she decided to leave the hotel. He left without letting her know where he was going besides saying, running down a lead, therefore she naturally got bored sitting around a hotel. Outside the weapons-smith shop, she sensed something amiss. The constant drum of Declan’s hammer usually kept passerby’s unconsciously walking to the same beat. She silently leapt the three short stairs leading to the wooden porch and pressed her ear against the front door, which was suspiciously closed. It was too quiet. Charlotte expected to at least hear Declan and Elvira arguing. She decided to send Thame an alert signal on their handhelds. She had no time to wait for him. She would have to sneak in and observe until back-up arrived.

          Creeping around the edge of the building, Charlotte went towards the sound of voices that seeped through an open window. She slowly pushed the unlocked window higher. Spiriting through the upraised window like a gymnast, Charlotte cautiously picked her way through the dimly lit back room of the workshop. She was careful not to disturb anything. She arrived to see a man with black, waist-length hair standing with his back to her. His left hand was tattooed with an ancient secret symbol that covered the tips of his fingers. The man’s sword was held high in the air above the quivering shopkeeper, who lay on the floor surrounded by his own blood. She was too far away to block the downward swing. Her throwing knives flew towards the mysterious man with lightning quickness. He must have sensed them coming, and turned around at the last minute to block the two airborne daggers with his blade.

          “We’ve got company, elf,” said Miles. “Pardon me.”

          “Who are you?” asked Charlotte, brandishing her twin batons. “What are you doing here?”

          “Typical,” replied Miles turning around. “ENS military right?”

          Leaking scarlet onto the uneven stone floor, Declan lay on the verge of death, trying to fight the feeling forcing him to lower his eyelids and go to sleep. He still had enough common sense to use what little strength he had left to inch away from the two killers.

          In the dimly lit room, Charlotte tried to sidestep in the direction of the hurt elf. The forges in the nearby room still blasted away with metal melting heat. Her assailant stood motionless, staring. “What are you after,” she asks.

          “You know the answer to that,” replied Miles dashing forward, blade twirling.

          Charlotte’s spun her batons, deflecting slashes from the straight blade. The shiny black metal of the batons soaked up the light of the nearby flames. Charlotte found herself on the defensive only seconds later as Miles rushed forward. Her twin baton sticks became a blur in her hand, parrying rapid attacks. Even after years of training, Charlotte found herself on the retreat from the deadly assassin. Instinct and reflexes stored in muscle memory saved her from receiving any life-threatening wounds. But at the rate he was going, her assailant would not need to deliver a death blow. She would die from a thousand gashes. To make the situation worse, she had yet to land a strike.

“You should have trained harder, my dear,” said Miles. “Do not worry though. I will be sending you some company in the afterlife.”

          Miles dashed toward Charlotte, and the rapid clash of metal on metal sounded over again and again as she deflected his sword. Reverberations shook Charlotte’s hands and forearms with each parry. She clenched her teeth; vibrations wracked her thin, muscular arms. She was sweating from the exertion, and with a lightning-quick move, Miles managed to slice Charlotte’s hand and send one of her weapons flying out of her grasp and sliding across the floor. The remaining baton could not deflect the blow she knew was coming next. Her mind worked frantically to come up with a way to avoid the death blow. Charlotte blinked her eyes for a second, which would have been the end of her if not for the ultra-quick and magically enhanced movements of her savior.

A gust of powerful wind and a cloud of smoke made her open her eyes. Thame stood in front of her with sword in one hand and las-gun pistol in the other. With a downward swing of his own blade, he deflected the sword thrust of Miles only centimeters away from Charlotte’s heart. He stood in front of her protectively. “Are you hurt?” asked Thame. His shoulders heaved up and down, whether from anger or exertion, she could not tell.

“Nothing too serious,” replied Charlotte, back resting against the wall. Her eyes searched for her other weapon.

Thame took in the appearance of the man dressed in all black standing only meters in front of him: long dark hair, pitch black pools of tar for eyes and a dark carving on his cheek. “You again,” said Thame, words dripping with scorn.

“Good to see you again too, Winter’s Legacy,” replied Miles. “We will have to sit down and talk, you and me… in private. I will be in touch.” A heartless smile crept across his face. Miles sheathed his sword and clasped his hands together, fingers intertwined in intricate symbols. Dark smoke rose from the ground around his feet.

Thame leapt towards his nemesis, las-gun firing blue laser all the way. He was rewarded with a grunt of pain as a laser bolt struck Miles. Running into a fog of thick smoke, Thame swung his sword, but his arm did not feel the resistance expected.

Miles had vanished thanks to that smoke bomb technique.

“Coward,” shouted Thame into the darkness. He spit on the floor in frustration.

“He was outmatched at two against one,” said Charlotte, placing a reassuring hand on Thame’s shoulder. “People like him always run when the odds are not in their favor.”

“You’re right,” replied Thame, gnashing his teeth together. He debated whether or not to follow, but then he looked at the sight of the carnage around him, eyes growing wide with compassion and shock. The frown typically plastered on his face returned with renewed vigor. “How are you injuries, Captain?” he asked Charlotte.

“Worse than they look, honestly,” said Charlotte. She let her face be tilted and turned by Thame’s large and calloused hand. He surveyed the bruises. “I know everyone says that, but seriously, I’m fine.” She forced a smile on her face, despite the blood leaking from her bottom lip.

“Uh, hello,” said Declan. “I am the one losing truckloads of plasma over here.”

“I apologize,” said Thame. “I will be sure that you are compensated for your troubles tonight. Miles Xavier’s head will be the next on my trophy stand.”

 

Thanks for sparing time to talk to me, Andre!
Njkinny's World of Books wishes you the very best for your future and hopes to read lots more from you. 
  


Originally posted here: http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2013/12/authorinterview-promising-debut-author.html

Book Review - Heaven's Fate

Thame Elliot's one objective in life is to avenge his father's death and he is consumed in his quest for the truth. But his life is not that simple. His aunt is the new Empress of Eoida and is always meddling in his life. Being connected with her also brings him enough fame to make his quest problematic and as if this is not enough, soon he will know that sometimes things are not always as they seem.

Can he find his father's killer?

Heaven's Fate is the classic fantasy story of a boy whose father was killed and claimed a traitor. Now he is determined to clear his name and also avenge his death. The first thing that struck me about the book was the whole planning and conception of Thame's world. The author has meticulously planned each detail of his fantasy world and it shows.

The story changes pace as per the demand of the story which is a good thing. Fantasy book lovers will love this book. I am not that a big fan of fantasy books but was still pulled into the action. I did though feel a bit crammed which so many new things in the book.

All in all, a very promising book and very admirably executed by Andre Alan. I give Heaven's Fate a 4 out of 5 and recommend that you read it. A book with loads of action which will thrill you and excite you. I look forward to reading more of Andre's work.  :)

I was provided the book by the author for my review of it and I am very thankful to him. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.

Post originally appeared on NjKinny's World of Books - http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2013/12/bookreview-heavens-fate-by-andre-alan.html

Writers Can Be Artist Too

As a novel writer, I believe that it is a good idea to draw pictures. Any author would be well served to have a defined mental picture of your characters that you can refer to while writing. It is also a good idea because you can do as I do and occasionally release them as promotional material. If you are a science fiction and fantasy writer and have created an entirely new world for you characters to inhabit then it is a good idea to draw pictures of those created worlds. That way you have a visual image that you can refer to when discussing that world in your novel.

Even if you are not good at drawing, it is a good idea to have some form of picture of your characters and your setting. Whether you take inspiration for you character from a television show or movie, it is a good idea to keep a picture of that person readily available. When the referring to that character or location while on the third or fourth book in the series and the details begin to get a little fuzzy, you always have a solid picture to rely on. Because, let’s face it, when you write a lot then not every detail will be remembered with complete accuracy over the course of a long series. The last thing you need is for your main character to start the series with blue eyes and then by the fifth book have green eyes, for example. That is a detail that the reader will pick up on and violently jar them out of your story and possibly cause them to fall out of love with your book and with you as a writer.

The Effects of War

In light of the revelations that the Syrian government has allegedly used chemical weapons on its own people, I feel as though I must speak to this issue of war and Weapons of Mass Destruction. The reason why I feel as though I should speak to this subject is the fact that in my novel Heaven’s Fate, the humans came under attack by the Orcs. The Orcs rush the human’s eastern shoreline and fight their way inland before finally being repelled. I think the reason why this issue is worth talking about is because in real life and in the stories that we read, too often the civilian side of war is left untold.

The chaos, destruction and desolation brought by war effects the civilian populace just as much, if not more than the military and government sections of society. With the invent of WMD’s, the world has become smaller and more dangerous. When even terrorist organizations can acquire weapons that cause casualties on an untold scale, these weapons need to be monitored and protected closely by concerned parties that have the capability to protect those weapons.

Civilians are the backbone that keeps the rest of society moving forward. If civilians are treated as no more than collateral damage then we will never break this cycle of unending wars. The reason I say this is because of a new generation of children growing up surrounded by war. Who is to say that those children will not grow into adults who are bitter at having their childhood stolen and want revenge? They may want revenge on those groups of people that they feel did not help them in their time of need. They may want revenge on the elite rulers, the government and politicians that should have the peoples best interest in mind yet have treated them as if they were cattle. Growing up in a refugee camp is no way for a child to live. It has been proven in studies before that for a child to fully develop into productive adults, they need two parents and a stable, loving environment. I have never been to a refugee camp but I am almost certain that these temporary hovels and tents do not provide the protection and state of mind that is conducive to positive thinking and growth.

If what can be said about Syria using chemical weapons on its own people is true then it is beyond unthinkable and reprehensible beyond belief. These actions should be condemned by global leaders. However, in order to initiate change we must do as Michael Jackson said and look at the man in the mirror. Each of us has probably asked the question, what can I do, I am only one person. Sometimes, one person is all there needs to be in order to effect great change.

I do not advocate violence, however, I will not sit here and act like I am some goody-too-shoes. In my younger years, and even to this day, I am infatuated with martial arts. I have practiced Tae Kwon Do and Aikido. I have undergone weapons training for semi-automatic pistols and hand to hand weapons combat. I am glad that I have this training in my arsenal but at this age I feel as though there should always be another option besides fighting. But with that being said I feel as though everyone has the right to defend themselves if they come under attack.

Let us stop the never ending attacks, the never ending wars, the never ending cycle of creating a generation of war torn, disassociated youth that never had a chance at a real childhood. The only way to stop violence is peace, not more violence. Elevate your mind and transcend the talking points of politicians that seek to divide us. Instead, let each and every single civilian bring to light and exemplify the similarities that each and every human being possesses in order to bring us together.

Writing Apology

I must apologize for not putting anything up here in so long. A friend of mine challenged me to create as much content in thirty days as possible. So with that being said, it was time to “man-up” and accept the challenge and get to writing. 

If you’re a writer then get to writing because only writing does writing. The words won’t appear out of thin air and onto the page (unless you have some special skill, if so, I NEED IT). I have so many ideas about stories that I want to write that it is hard to find time to do all of the little things that need to be done. But in preparation for a new short story series titled “The Power Array Saga” (download Part One from the EVapor ENT company website – link below) I have been trying to stay within a certain state of mind. 

When I say that, I do not mean that I am trying to stay intoxicated for the entire day from some foreign or toxic substance but I do want to try and stay intoxicated with writing. It is very difficult to put myself into the “writer-mode” and rip off over a thousand words without being distracted by something. People have real lives which intrude upon the inner worlds that we have created. 

To all the writers out there, my advice to you is to try and stay intoxicated off the fantasy worlds and interesting characters that you have created. Not everyone has the skill that some of us science fiction, fantasy writers have so be thankful for you gift and get back to writing.

~ Andre Alan

www.evaporent.com