The Mystical Emporium
Home to all thing magical in the life of Marie-Claude Bourque, author of mystical romance and fantasy
ANCIENT WHISPERS
AMERICAN TITLE V WINNER
"Infinitally romantic and creative"
RT BOOKreviews
Dorchester ~ Love Spell
ISBN: 978-0-505-52833-9
Available Now
- Bushwhacking, Booze, and Nothing to Lose September 2, 2010Song of the day: Nothing to Lose by Operator Okay, tell me the truth. Do you ever have a moment where you just stop and wonder why it is that you write? Why do you subject yourself to torturous, lonely hours of work, real work, on a book where often there seems so little reward? [...] […]jbrayweber
- A Behind the Scenes Look at the Bustle September 2, 2010Okay, so it’s a horrible pun. But really, if you’re looking at the historical development over time of the bustle, could you resist? The fact remains that one of the classic elements of refined lady steampunk wear is the bustle. But what people seem to forget is that the bustle wasn’t always part of Victorian [...] […]bluemooncomm
Archive for the ‘Writing Ancient Secrets’ Category
Sweat and tears…
I was going through my non-fiction bookshelf tonight and decided to re-read The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield. It’s really a great little book which I learned about from author Allison Brennan in an online class I took from her.
It talks about resistance. Basically how when we attempt to do something for our better good, we encounter resistance in various form. The book describes what it is and how to still do our work despite it (because we never truly conquer it). It shows us how to be a pro as opposed to an amateur. How a pro shows up for work (write) when he should, as opposed to the amateur who talks a lot about it but doesn’t actually do it much.
I’m struggling with that a lot. Maybe being online makes me talk about writing more. Leaving less time for the actual writing.
I think I was successful in completing my first manuscript because I wrote in a vaccuum. I was on one online loop only which is mostly a crit group. So there was a big insentive to post new chapters. I knew nothing about writing so I just shut up, read what other said and read tons of book on the craft. (I still don’t know much about writing, but now I can’t seem to be able to shut up!)
And I had Pressfield to remind me that writing was hard and I had to have a Marines approach to the work. Get down and dirty and do it! Through everything! Seems it’s the only way.
I think I completed Ancient Secrets that way too. But it did take me a while to get there.
I guess there’s no easy way. Every success is made of a whole lot of sweat and tears.
BB
A case of conpulsiveness…
I feel the return of my old ODC self. I’m quite sick today with a cold but I was trying to do some work anyway. I have a lot of writing in my notebook that needs to be typed. Both from Ancient Secrets and the steampunk novel.
So I figured I could at least do that. I’m trying to make sure I have both books done and typed by the end of summer.
Summers are super challenging because I have the kids at home. But sometimes if I’m organized I get all I need done just because I do need to make good use of my time.
So in true ODC fashion, just as I was when I started writing 2 years ago, I made out a big spreadsheet to track my progress. Yeah, it’s pretty geeky and it was not really actual work but seeing the word count numbers is proving to be a good motivator.
I’ve been having a lot of anxiety about my next projects, whether they’ll sell or whether I can do all this again.
I think it’s normal to feel that way and I’m starting to realize that my writing fate is a lot more into my hands then not. Sure I don’t control the economy and people’s taste but I control what I write and how many hours I spend on it.
Just like musician who gets better the more he practice, the more hours spent writing, the better I get, the more likely I am to produce quality work that will sell and please readers.
I’m kind of done putting the ball in other’s court on my own volition and I’m taking it back. It’s my choice really, I decide the amount of hours I spend writing, I decide how many novels I produce in a year and I decide how I position myself in the market.
I always believed that if you put the energy in, eventually things fall into place in a good way.
So here for being obessive about writing again…
And attempt to get rid of this cold!
Brightest Blessings
Got to save that cat…
Someone stepped on my computer power cord last week and I have no computer (let it be known that I write these blog on my phone, usually while my little one falls asleep).
So I took to the coffeeshop again, my new haunt, with my books on the craft, pen and notebook and I rediscovered the wonderful screenwriting book Save The Cat with it’s 12 beats to plotting.
Since I’m working on “MCsteam” which is an adventure style story, I found the beats work perfectly. I even made up some sort of story board on paper for both MCsteam and Ancient Secrets to see the stories as concept. What fun!
Of course my boys interupted me before I had time to color it all (me? have fun? no, not allowed!) but it was a useful process.
I thought I had a glimpse of a panster in me but no, I feel so much better going into this story with a plan!
Blessed be
And she tries and tries…
I don’t know when I stopped to be able to relax. Perhaps it happened once my world got smaller and smaller until the only time I can call my own is when I sleep and I don’t get that much of that either.
I used to be good at taking care of myself. Meditation first thing in the morning, then work, adding to that the kids when they were born. A workout at the end of the day, a good book to fall asleep. Movies and long walks in the week-end. There was always something that could help me unwind.
Now it seems, whenever I have a few minutes to myself, I just can’t let go. Who knows why, but there isn’t even a book that will soothe me.
There seems to be a time for everything and perhaps this is a phase in my life to be on edge and a little angsty, perhaps I need a long stretch of down time to finally feel stress free. Who knows?
It’s not bad, I do get a lot done but I do feel a little disconnected from myself. This too shall pass…
The proposal for Ancient Secrets is almost done. I’m really liking it. And today I decided that “The Gravity of Love” by Enigma makes a good playlist song for the steampunk.
Don’t look this way, I’m a fraud
A topic that came up a lot in Bob Mayer Warrior Writer class is that we all feel like a fraud at various degrees, like we got there by some dumb luck and not by talent.
I suffer from that big time! I am stalling on my proposal for the rest of my series. Oh it’s written and I like it, my writing partner likes it but I can’t let it go.
I’ll be honest. When I look around at authors just like me, with a debut book, and that sold the next in the series I think I’m not one of them so I wont sell again. Why? Because they are real writers, I’m not. I sold so quickly, I didn’t win any writing contests, didn’t sweat over a few manuscript (I sweat over the one but it doesn’t count does it?)
Yes a fraud. I’m not good just lucky. Same feeling as I has when I got my PhD and my big fitness director dream job. I’m lucky.
I don’t know that I’ll ever feel different about any successes I may get. It’s seems hard wired in me and the failure I do encounter from time to time just seem to confirm that I’m right. I’m a fraud.
So ok but how do I move forward? Face the fear that I will be discovered?
Enjoy the ride? Perhaps. Send it out anyway out of pure madness? Just in case? Or perhaps just forget everyone and send what makes me smile, laugh, cry and shivers. I don’t know, you tell me!
Blessed be
What I was missing…
I remember when I started writing Ancient Whispers, it was more than a story. It was all of me. My experience, my emotions, all the things that made me go ah. Call it pouring my heart and soul into it.
As I’m in the midst of the sequel, Ancient Secrets, I see what, until recently, I was missing. So far all it was, was a story. Boy meet girl, big battle. But so what?
My father always asked “so what” at the end of his paleontology seminars. So what? What is the point of this? Why should we care?
I think fiction is the same. I think we, the writer, should care, should be so involved that the story of the moment is “the one”, the best one, the one that contains our hopes, our dreams, are pains, our deep thoughts in life, even as we craft love scenes and magical worlds. It should always be our intense vision of the moment.
I guess that’s what I had been missing.
Finished editing my first 4 chapters of Ancient Secrets today, about 40 pages. Hopefully my writing partners will give me their impressions so I can go over it once more before sending it out.
Brainstormed some more on the Steampunk story and came up with some awesome scenes. I’m loving this as well, but I’m still undecided about the title.
Blessed Be.
What are you afraid of?
Why do we fear?
Today author Gerri Russel wrote a blog about fear and it got me to think of all these fears inside me that can sometimes paralyze me into not taking action.
What really are we afraid off? What will happen? Will someone say no? Or some people will hate the result of our effort, scorn it, made fun of it? Or perhaps someone will be angry at us because we did something against his will?
Will that kill us? Because frankly we can survive a whole lot. But sometimes we forget. We forget how strong we are, we forget our courage.
I’m endebted to author Bob Mayer for bringing me courage. At a workshop in Seattle, he told us that when soldiers were embushed and could not turn back or flee left or center, they had no choice but jump into the battle and fight in order to survive.
Fight may mean different things to different people but sometimes we do need to. Need to face our fears with courage.
I asked him how to built courage and basically the answer is simple. Training. The more you face your fear, the more you do the hard things, the easiest it becomes.
I was telling my little one this morning how I use to be so shy and quiet, each of my report cards came back with a warning to my mom saying I was too reserved. Then even in high school, I was petrified and shook all over just to speak in front of the class.
Later in college I decided to face my fears and learned how to teach aerobics. Now I can address a crowded room without even thinking. I actually enjoy it. I learned tricks and did it over and over for 15 years. This fear of public speaking is long gone.
So what are my fears, your fears and what will we do about them? Where’s our courage?
Edited a few pages of Ancient Secrets today, moving along.
Brightest Blessings…
the windswept cliff…
1) It was time for me today to do a bit of brainstorming for the Steampunk story. I wrote the first act already but it was time to put on paper all the thoughts that have been swimming in my head. After I had spent an hour or so with my notebook, I came back for air and told my sons that this would be the best story ever. I don’t care if it doesn’t sell, one day they’ll read it (when they’re old enough for the sexy bits) and that’s what counts. I just need to put this down on paper, for me, for them. They helped me with the final title but I shall still call it Axiom of Depth out here in cyberspace.
2) because I had the kids at home today, editing Ancient Secrets was tricky. I did manage a little of it. Staring at the words on the screen for ever. I decided to cut a whole scene to speed things up. I’m trying to learn from my mistakes with the first book. Trying to get the story moving faster. I’m glad I did. Taking away that scene changes nothing. One rule of writing, if it’s not needed, take it out!
3) I’m still working on branding with Theresa Meyers. Trying to find images that matches what my writing is about. I discovered that the sensual part would be well represented by curling ivy. I always loved that design, even wanted to have it tatooed on one side of my waist and lower back along with a fleur-de-lys when my father died. Too bad I never did. It would have been fitting.
The mystical could be a full moon. Oh how I like the one on my cover art. Like always when I’m stumped, I need to let the ideas seep in my brain for a while, see what comes up.
4) I’ve finished an 8th Georgette Heyer novel in a row. I don’t read much romance but those Regencies are just too much fun and so well written. Nothing beat a well written book. But now I’m stuck, what to read next?
Brightest Blessings
curl up with a notebook
1) Nothing done on Ancient Secrets today. I find it harder and harder to get up in the morning and do some editing. It’s fine to up curl up with a notebook and a pen but the whole process of turning on the laptop at 5:30 am feels too tough. I’ve done it before, so I’ll have to try harder.
2) I’m currently taking 2 online class, one with Bob Mayer on the writing industry and one with Theresa Meyer on author branding. Well, a third came my way and I couldn’t pass it so tomorrow I’m starting a class on myth and themes in writing. Since I’m always looking for the big picture in life, Im really looking toward to this.
3) Today, Valentines Day, what can I say.. A long time ago I got dumped on this day. It’s been so long that I forget but I can’t help wonder about those days that are so hard for people who are alone.
I question the wisdom of observing a day that makes other unhappy. In my youth, those set holidays were full of family gathering with music and lots of food. Now it’s basically what I make of it, which still is not a bad thing.
4) I’m expecting a print version of Ancient Whispers galleys tomorrow. Can’t wait!
5) As always, the artist who made the artwork above can be found by clicking on the image.
Blessed Be
And so it is…
And so it is, I got my galleys today in PDF format
It’s quite incredible to see your book for the first time, with the set font, all pages and chapter heading. It’s so real now, and so scary!
Scary because I don’t know if I’m prepared for anyone to read and critique it.
I’m almost too scared to read it.
I’ve read the front piece excerpt and it is such a sexy part of the book, I wasn’t prepared for that. It’s right out of the scene that help me win the last round of the American Title and I had almost forgotten that scene.
I work so hard at making the magic and action believable that I don’t pay much attention to the love scenes.
But apparently it’s worth being put as a tease for the book.
And why not?
I’ve finished the deep edits of the prologue of Ancient Secrets today and I must say I really like it. let’s hope my writing partners do as well.
Blessed Be
