A Deck of Cards

 Hello fellow humans, I've finished writing my novel, after researching, writing and editing in the past five years. It's been a ride! Now what? Well, I can officially say that I've written my query letter, synopsis and blurb about a dozen times. I've sent my query letter (with blurb and synopsis attached) as well as the first one to three chapters, to seven agents. Five rejections so far.  I'll be honest with you. It doesn't feel good. When did rejection ever feel good, I can hear you say. You're right. But I had to say it, I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. After each rejection I wonder why the agent didn't like it.  'Maybe my prologue is too strong? Too bloody?  What about the promise, is it there? Could I change it? Make it completely different?' No.  Stop.  I should NOT think about changing my first chapters, my whole book, because someone said it was not for them. For agents, finding a book that's right for them is subjec...

  So, every fantasy writer should know about this 'world building'.  But what do you start with? Where do you get your inspiration? Is there a questionnaire that you can fill in? What does World-Building generally include? When I first started looking into world building, I wished there was a list of questions I could answer, and where I'd get my basic understanding of what I needed to do to create the next best seller. I mean, that's what we are all working towards, right? ... So huh, right. Let's move on.  World building can be as developed as you feel like (well, duh.).As with any important work, you do NOT want to have things on loose paper. I repeat, you DO NOT want to have things on loose paper. A notebook is ideal, because you can take it with you on walks etc. When I think about world-building, I mostly think about: - fauna and flora : does my world have different flowers and animals than our own Earth? If so, what is it and what's different? What's ...

This is a little something I wrote because I wanted to delve into the Prince's fear of shifters, as well as his family. This helps me put together details for later events, building a profile for my 'Prince' character. I am currently working on my first book called 'A deck of cards' and this is where my characters currently live in. In this short story, the Prince is six years old. Characters such as the King and Queen are mentioned, as well as Bielo (the first in command in the King's personal guard) and Mohammed (weapons master in the queen's personal guard). In Here (the town where they live), shifters are the equivalent to our demons stories. The Prince lies down in his bed, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Quickly to the left. Quickly to the right. Again and again. He can feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. What's there? In the shadows, he feels a pair of eyes looking at him, unblinking. He closes his eyes tight, trying as best as he can ...

For the timeline, this moment happens  to sixteen year old Axel and the Prince.  Those short stories help me build my characters, to make them more 'real'. 'The commander' is commander Bielo, the first in command in the King's Elite team. Gregory is the second in command in the Queen's team, and there are tensions between the King and the Queen's teams. The story is set in the Palace in Here (name of the town).  I am currently working on the first book of 'A deck of cards' where all these characters live in. The young man sitting across from him stares at him silently. The Prince has no doubt that he has noticed everything about him, from his short hair, cut with precision every two weeks; to his burgundy coat embroidered with the finest threads and beads in all of Here. The prince threads his fingers together on the table, noticing too late the dark blue colour still staining his thumb and index. The other man's eyes lock on the stains then ...

On the timeline, Axel and Anissa are 15 years old, and Axel will start his training as the Prince's Elite guard soon. At present, the prince still needs to approve of the others in the team. If everything goes according to plan, the men will leave for the training camp in under a month. If you would like to see more of these characters (which I hope you do), I am writing my first book called 'A deck of cards' which features the following characters and more.      Axel walks inside the house, still feeling the pleasant warmth of the sunshine on his back, going straight to his room to put his coat away. He grabs the small book he hid in his pocket before walking over to Anissa's room. His sister is sitting at the end of her bed in a lovely dark green dress and her hair tied in a careful knot on her head, her body half-way facing the window, a needle in between her fingers and a brown fabric in her other hand. He knocks on her half open door. She turns back to look at hi...

On the timeline, Axel is a child of twelve and going through his school day as a kid of the higher city from Here. In terms of names, Bielo is Axel's father, also First in command of the King's personal guard. Axel's friends are also to be his team mates in his future role (which they all know about. The children of Royal guards -if boys- are to be part of the Prince's guard, as per the bloodline edict). Those are Mateo, William, Liam and twins Maximus and Nicolai. Each will have a specific role in the guard. This short story helps me build on my characters profiles and have a better idea of what makes them 'real' and 'human'. I am currently working on the first book of 'A deck of cards' where my characters live in, in a town called Here.        'Put your books in your trays and get your things. Remember your test tomorrow.'      'Yes Teacher,' each boy in the classroom says in unison.      Axel tidies up his table, aware of...

For the timeline, this moment happens  to ten years old Anissa, Axel and William, who get in trouble but also have each other's backs. It also features Elianda who is William's mother, and mention Laura who is Axel and Anissa's mother. Those short stories help me build my characters, to make them more 'real'. I am currently working on the first book of 'A deck of cards' where all these characters live in.       They stand in Axel's parents kitchen on soggy feet, they clothes wet and muddy, Axel's shirt sporting a couple of holes while his own shirt is ripped on one shoulder. William and Axel face a scowling Elianda, a wooden spoon in one hand and a kitchen towel in her other. They try to appear as innocent as possible, but William isn't convinced that they are doing a very good job.      The mud all over Axel's face may be a give away... Or the state of our clothes.      'Care to tell me what happened to you two?' Trouble. w...

     This is a short story to help me build my characters profiles. I tend to do this when I want to know how a character might react for example. As I am writing my first book, 'A deck of cards', I've been thinking about Zarek's first meeting with Anissa. I've changed it a couple of times until this version, which I feel fits the best. In this short story, Zarek and Elianda are with baby William and go over to Bielo's house to see the two new babies in the family.   Zarek holds Elianda's hand protectively in his, his other arm casually on his knife handle. Elianda carries their son on her back, the strapping made especially for such endeavours. Elianda laughed at him when he saw the thing. His face must has shown his distrust. His animal side was not reassured either. His son, however, oblivious to the tense moment, fell asleep against the warmth of his mother's body.       They walk past the fence of Bielo's house when they hear it: the cries ...

  This short story is set when Zarek and Elianda have been married for about a year. This story is set when their new son is born: William. Elianda is a deer shifter and Zarek is a bear shifter; and as shifters are not allowed to live, they have to keep their shifting ability a secret, because Zarek is the second in command to the King, it's even more dangerous for them. In this story, Zarek mentions Bielo, who is his best friend and the first in command of the King's Guards. Bielo knows about shifters and wants to make sure that shifters can live in peace. Him and Zarek are working on stopping the massacre of shifters, something that's been happening because of the King's father's decree (allowing people to hunt shifters and hurt, rob and kill them).  I am currently working on the first book of 'A deck of cards' where all these characters live in. In terms of timeline, this story happens about seventeen years before the story in my book.        The rain...

        Hi everyone,          I've been working from home since the start of the week and it's been really hard to stay positive. Some people are making things really difficult as my children are little and ask a lot of questions still. It is hard to explain to them why people behave like this all of a sudden, why we need to stay home.         I try to spend as much time as possible with them, but the balance of work and home is not easy. My kids have gone to bed a bit less than an hour ago, and I've managed to write a little. I managed to write a page. Yes, I still need to take the time to write because it makes me feel better. It's a great way for me to put things on paper and feel good about it. Also, it lets my many characters out from the confines of my head onto paper. Crazy right?       Right.       I've made a new friend this year. One who is kind and a piece of sunshine. She ...

Okay, so. World Building.  What is it? How do you do it? Who is it for? World building is a term we often refer to in Fantasy/Science-Fiction novels. It's basically the creation of a world that's different from ours. The differences can vary and, if written well, they can get the reader to very interesting places. What do they cover?   Anything and everything. It all depends on you, the writer. If the weather is different in your book-world, then that's part of your world building. If the religion or politics system is different, then that's the world building part of your book-world.  Do you need it?   That's all up to you. Remember that some of it may need more research. Also make sure that you keep notes, drawings or whatever you think of; it will make it easier to have something constant across your novel.  Personally, I used to keep papers everywhere, in folders and in notepads until I just couldn't find things anymore. Now? I created my o...

I would like to discuss something that we see more and more: what you are needs to correspond to what you write. Or does it?      A lot of news and blog articles, comments and videos relate to how an author look (black, white and other skin colors) or their gender and sexuality orientation (cis, by, gay, lesbian, asexual,etc...) compared to what they write about.      I will give you my view of it, and then you can comment your thoughts (please, no swearwords and other nonsense, this is a friendly debate).      Personally, I understand that if an author plans to write about 'real life', then they should be aware of what they are talking about. That includes research as far as I am concerned. What do I mean by that?      -Well, for one, talk to people. Not just your friends and family, because let's face it, they are a great mental support but do they really give constructive feedback?      ...

I've been really busy lately working on my drawings. This is my own way of picturing key places as well as key characters. I thought that I knew each of my characters, since I have a detailed questionnaire for several of them. What I did not factor in were all those little questions that I did not have the answer to when I worked on each sketch.  I did not have answers to questions like: 'is Axel left-handed or right-handed?' or 'What type of weapon can a one armed man use?' or 'What type of facial piercing does this character have?'  Now I am looking at these questions and think that I have a better idea of my characters, but the real question is: do I really need all that information? Are the answers to any of my questions going to be useful? Drawing I sketched of Liam, one of my characters.