The WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour
It’s the final day of the WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour, and we’re finishing off with an introduction to the villan in my story, Juan Montoya. Over the coarse of the week, we met the two protagonists, Amaryllis Sanchez and LeRoy McAllister, and three of the supporting characters, the time-traveler from 2025, Nick; the shaman woman from 2025, Monique; and the saloon keeper from 1887, Maggie. Don’t worry if you missed a stop or two along the way. I’m posting the Tour Schedule with links for each stop at the end of the post. And don’t forget to leave a comment to enter the Giveaway at each one.
The Giveaway
Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway
for a chance at one of five digital copies of
The Rock Star & The Outlaw.
Excerpt from The Rock Star & The Outlaw
Writing the Villian
Writing the villian is difficult for me, because I strive so hard to create characters that are likeable, that creating a character I want people to hate seems to go against my natural grain. I think it’s hard for me to write from my shadow side and unveil the things that are hidden away there, because I was taught that those were things we didn’t talk about. But a villian has to be dark, and mean, and well… bad. Readers aren’t supposed to like the villian. I have trouble writing characters that I don’t like, and even now, I can’t say I truly succeeded with Juan. I still want to like him, just a little.
You really can’t have a character that is all bad. No one is pure evil, any more than anyone is pure goodness.People are naturally double sided, so just as a protagonist must have flaws to make them a well rounded character, every villian must have at least one or two likeable traits to balance things out. In Juan, I think I was successful in this respect. Sure, he’s a pompous ass who expects to get his way in all things, but he is angered by the mistreatment of Amaryllis by his men, so he can’t be all bad. Right?
The character of Juan Montoya
Juan Montoya started out the story as Wade Slade, a proud southern man with a hot southern temper. He sported long, wavey hair, and a handlebar mustache and goatee, which he kept waxed to sharp points. He had the peculiar habit of twisting the tips of the mustache, especially when he was angered. However, when doing my first run of editing, which I do aloud, there was something about the character that just didn’t feel right. I thought perhaps rhyming the first and last names might be the problem, so I changed his first name to Buck. It was easy to do un MS Word, with the find and replace feature. But, as I continued to read through it Buck Slade was missing the mark, as well. Buck didn’t sound like a southern name, for one thing. And the character didn’t seem very threatening for another. Something had to be done.
The story needed a bad dude, a mean bandito to lead a gang of outlaws on robbing and pillaging. A bandit up from the border in Nevada country in 1887 seemed like a good possibility. It needed to be someone you didn’t want to cross, and so Buck Slade became Juan Montoya. I went back in with ‘Find and Replace’ and replaced all the Bucks and all the Slades to Juans and Montoyas. You can imagine my surprise, when doing the next pass of edits, as I tried to figure out what a Juanle and a Juanet were. When I hit ‘Replace All’, I didn’t think about the possibility of having used words that had Buck in them like bucket and buckle. Gotta watch that.
Of course, changing a character is more than just changing a name. Juan lost the southern charm of Wade and Buck, and his features are much darker. He kept the hair, the mustache, and the goatee, as well as the annoying habit of twisting the mustache. In fact, I made the hair his best feature, although it gives him an effiminate look, but he’s so bad no one would dare to say that to his face. I changed some scenes to illustrate his temper better, and sacrificed a minor character to do so. The result is the Juan Montoya who appears in the final story.
Excerpt from The Outlaw & The Rock Star
About the Book
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
About the Author
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
That wraps up the WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog TourThanks to all of you for joining me. I hope you enjoyed my posts, and maybe even learned something from them. I am pleased to have all of you here to help launch this book right. This story came from my heart and I a truly excited about it. Be sure and leave a comment at each stop for additional entries in the giveaway. Links are below if you miss one.
Tour Schedule
The Rock Star & The Outlaw, by Kaye Lynne Booth – September 18 – 22
Monday – Sept. 18 – Opening Day – “Amaryllis & The Pretty Reckless” – Writing to be Read
Tuesday – Sept. 19 –“Writing with music and LeRoy McAllister & Review” – Carla Loves to Read
Wednesday – Sept. 20 – “The characters of Nick and Monique” – Writing to be Read
Thursday – Sept.21 – “Prostitution in the American West and the character of Maggie” – Roberta Writes
Friday – Sept. 22 – Closing Post – “Writing the Villian & Juan Montoya” – Writing to be Read
That wraps up today’s stop and the tour. I want to thank you all for coming along on the ride, and I hope you’ll give the ride with Amaryllis and Leroy a go. It’s been a fun ride, from putting all the pieces together in my mind as the idea began to shape itself into a story in my mind, to writing each individual chapter and partnering it with a song, to running a successful Kickstarter to give the book a boost, to the publishing process and seeing the book listed through distributors, to sharing my characters with all of you on this tour. I know you will have a fun ride if you chose to read it, too.
If you missed a stop, you’ll find the links in the Tour Schedule above. Leave a comment at each stop for additional chances in the giveaway. I won’t get out the random drawing hat until tomorrow night, so there’s still time. I’m giving away five digital copies of The Rock Star & The Outlaw, and I will announce the winners in Monday’s “WordCrafter News”, here on Writing to be Read. Thanks for joining us.
The WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour
Tour Schedule
The Rock Star & The Outlaw, by Kaye Lynne Booth – September 18 – 22
Monday – Sept. 18 – Opening Day – “Amaryllis & The Pretty Reckless” – Writing to be Read
Tuesday – Sept. 19 –“Writing with music and LeRoy McAllister & Review” – Carla Loves to Read
Wednesday – Sept. 20 – “The characters of Nick and Monique” – Writing to be Read
Thursday – Sept.21 – “Prostitution in the American West and the character of Maggie” – Roberta Writes
Friday – Sept. 22 – Closing Post – “Writing the Villian & Juan Montoya” – Writing to be Read
Day 3 of The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour
Welcome to Writing to be Read and the WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour. On this stop, I’ll introduce you to two of the supporting characters, the overzealous time-traveler, Nick Umbridge, and Amaryllis’ BFF, Monique. These are two supporting characters, but they play roles which are vital to the story.
Nick & the Time-Travel Device
Nick’s character developed from the main idea for the story – a time-travel device that fits in the palm of the hand, and a custom saddle pommel which it can slip into, to take horse and rider to the period of their choice. That’s how the story began in my head, and I wrote that first chapter, which ended up being the prolog, long before the rest of the story had developed fully. I needed a time-traveling cowboy and Nick was him.
Part of the idea for his character came from the movie Time Cop with Jean-Claude Van Damme. He works for a regulatory agency that develops time-travel gadgetry and Nick’s job is to test the prototypes. Another part of his character came from a character in a different time-travel movie, Time Stalkers, where William Devane plays a college professor who is obsessed with the old west. Nick has a similar obsession which drives him to pick 1887 as his time destination. Unfortunately, the call to blend and take in some of the local atmosphere is too much for him, and he sets a time-loop into motion that sends Leroy on the wildest ride of his life, before he is strung up by a lynch mob.
When LeRoy returns with Amaryllis, a paradox or two are created and Nick makes another appearance, trying to set things right. Although he means well, he wants to take Amaryllis back to her own time, in 2025; a move that would mean facing the forces she’s running from, so Nick becomes an antagonist for our time-traveling duo.
Monique & Werner Syndrome
Monique is Amaryllis’ best friend. She came about in a college assignment back in 2012 to write a shaman scene; a scene where the protagonist consults the wisdom of the medicine man, witch or shaman for guidance. Monique is my shaman, with the ability of looking into the future having been handed down from her grandmother. Although the character of Amaryllis was actually in this scene, too, but I think my focus was on developing the character of Monique.
I wanted her to be an interesting and unique character, so I gave her a bold, self-confident personality, and I gave her Werner Syndrome, a rare birth defect caused by the mutation of the WRN gene, which cause old age to set in prematurely. Those with Werner Syndrome take on the physical characteristics of an old person at an early age, including short stature from childhood, and other attributes such as wrinkled skin, baldness, muscular atrophy and cateracts (https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/werner-syndrome). So even though Monique is 26, like Amaryllis, and they grew up together, Monique is small, and hunched and shriveled, looking more like a woman of 60, fitting the role of an old croon perfectly.
Monique is a rock in Amaryllis’ life. She’s who our heroine turns to for advice, the woman who thinks of everything, and Amaryllis knows she can count on her. That original scene, where Amaryllis asks her friend to throw the bones and gets a strange reading thaat neither woman understands, has undergone a lot of changes, but it ends up as the third chapter in the book, “Witches Burn”.
Excerpt from The Rock Star & The Outlaw
About the Book
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
That wraps up Day 3 of the WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour. Links are in the schedule above, if you missed days 1 & 2. I hope you have enjoyed meeting Nick and Monique. Be sure to visit those first two stops to meet the two protagonists and learn more about the creation of this wild time-travel adventure. Tomorrow will find us over at Robbie’s Inspiration/Roberta Writes, where I will introduce you to the character of Maggie and share some facts about prostitution in the American west. And don’t forget to leave a comment at each stop for a chance to win one of five digital copies of The Rock Star & The Outlaw, which I’ll be giving away in a random drawing at the end of the tour. I do hope you will join us.
About the Author
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
Welcome to the WordCrafter The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Blog Tour! We have a great tour planned this week and I hope you’ll visit each stop to learn more about what went into this exciting time-travel adventure. We have a great give-away, too, offering 5 digital copies of The Rock Star & The Outlaw. And you get an entry just for leaving a comment at each stop to let me know you were there. You’ll find the Tour Schedule below, so let’s get started!
Tour Schedule
The Rock Star & The Outlaw, by Kaye Lynne Booth – September 18 – 22
Monday – Sept. 18 – Opening Day – “Amaryllis & The Pretty Reckless” – Writing to be Read
Tuesday – Sept. 19 –“Writing with music and LeRoy McAllister & Review” – Carla Loves to Read
Wednesday – Sept. 20 – “The characters of Nick and Monique” – Writing to be Read
Thursday – Sept.21 – “Prostitution in the American West and the character of Maggie” – Roberta Writes
Friday – Sept. 22 – Closing Post – “Writing the Villian & Juan Montoya” – Writing to be Read
Amaryllis & The Pretty Reckless
Amaryllis Maria Sanchez is a composite character. She’s a cross between Sharon Stone’s character in Basic Instinct and Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless. She’s an adrenaline junkie, who likes to tempt death and lives life to the extremes. She’s a rock star who is at the top of her game when she’s on stage. After she kills her drug dealing, domineering boyfriend to save herself from his wrath, she figures she’s already damned herself, she figures she might as well ride out the storm that’s headed her way. But, when she crosses paths with a time-traveling cowboy who offers a way to stay ahead of the game and a place to run to where she won’t ever be found, she sees the potential for a whole new life of adventures.
Amaryllis began as a character like Sharon Stones character in Basic Instincts – a daring woman who plays a deadly game. I like Sharon Stone in just about anything, but I admired the way she played this character in particular. I challenged myself to create a character with that same adventuresome nature, and that self-confident, ‘on top of the world’ attitude.
The idea for her method for killing Claude came from an actual murder case I heard about on the news. I thought it was unique, and I knew I wanted to use it in a story.
My son introduced me to the music of The Pretty Reckless, and I fell in love with the voice of Taylor Momsen. Ibought their CDs and played them on my commute to work, and a story about a female rock singer began to form in my head, and the Sharon Stone-like character somehow merged in my mind with the woman who emerged in my mind from their music. That woman was a lot like my image of Taylor Momsen. And so, Amaryllis Maria Sanchez emerged on the page. Their music inspired me and I’d like to share some of it with you. The video is an official music video for “You”, by The Pretty Reckless.
“You”, by The Pretty Reckless
About the Book
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
Book Trailer
Video Trailer for The Rock Star & The Outlaw
About the Author
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
The Giveaway
Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway
for a chance at one of five digital copies of
The Rock Star & The Outlaw.
That wraps up the tour for today. Join us tomorrow on Carla Loves to Read for a guest post about the character of LeRoy McAllister and a review of the book.
Fire destroyed her life yet ignited in her a new purpose.
When the last ember of Rayna’s home burned out she vowed to find the dragon responsible and slay it. Orphaned and alone she gets caught up with the Forsaken Force, a band of mercenaries who do as they please. In order to stay alive, Rayna must earn their trust through demonstrated skill and a fiery spirit.
The brothers-in-arms become like a second home until tragedy strikes again. With her need for vengeance renewed, Rayna grows even more determined to slay the dragon that burned her life or die trying.
Rise of the Dragonslayer is a prequel to the Time of Dragons series by fantasy author Cynthia Vespia.
My Review
Rise of the Dragon Slayer, by Cynthia Vespia is short prequel to her Time of the Dragons series, which tells readers how Rayna came to be on a quest to irradicate the last of the dragons which torment the lands of her home. I recently read and reviewed Book 1 of the series, Rayna the Dragon Slayer, (You can see my review of Rayna: Dragon Slayer here), so I was pleased to be able to read the prequel for free when I signed up for her newsletter. From what I can tell, that’s the only way to get this book, so instead of a purchase link above, I’m including the URL to sign up for her newsletter here: https://www.cynthiavespia.com/free-story
Rise of the Dragon Slayer tells the story of how it all started. It reveals the reason for Rayna’s hatred and desire for revenge of one dragon sets her on a quest for the death of all dragons. We see her face her very first dragon. It’s a short read, and I can’t say much without giving away spoilers, but I will say that I was amazed at the creative way in which she defeats the dragon, and I think you will be, too.
A perfect prequel to the Time of Dragon’s series, Rise of the Dragon Slayer is original and surprising. A thrilling dragon hunting adventure. I give it five quills.
The benefits of Tongue Twisters for children (and adults too)
What is a tongue twister?
A tongue twister is a sequence of words or sounds, usually of an alliterative kind, that are difficult to pronounce quickly and accurately.
An example of a tongue twister
One of the tongue twisters I grew up with is Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Pepper.
This is a video of the tongue twister:
Benefits of tongue twisters
Tongue twisters are fun and often results in lots of laughter, but they also have benefits for children.
Tongue twisters are a great way of introducing different consonant sounds to small children. They help pronunciation by teaching the brain how to form the necessary signals and organs of speech to make the required movements.
Regular recitation stimulates control of the muscles used for speech, ensuring clearer pronunciation of words with difficult syllables. Tongue twisters help children to decease instances of pauses in speech and reduce hesitation over pronunciation.
Listening to a parent or caregiver reciting tongue twisters helps to improve a child’s listening skills and comprehension of spoken English. Learning a tongue twister, promotes memorization which improves memory and cognitive skills.
Disadvantages of tongue twisters
The disadvantage of tongue twisters is that they take children a long time to master and thus a lot of patience from the teacher.
Did you learn tongue twisters as a child?
Did you teach tongue twisters to your children?
Let me know if the comments
My review of A Wrinkle in Time By Madeleine L’Engle
I was recommended this book by a friend of mine as I am unfamiliar with American children’s books and wanted to try a few.
I enjoyed this extraordinary science fantasy which involves three children with unique characteristics, a missing father, three fascinating good witches, time travel, different planets with unusual inhabitants and culminates in a battle for the preservation of creativity and difference against robotic sameness and loss of individuality represented by a disembodied brain called IT. I thought the author used an intriguing storyline and set of characters to support her central themes of rejection of difference and pressure to conform, the importance of love, not judging based on appearances, and that total understanding of everything in life is not possible.
Ultimately, I saw this as a book that celebrated individuality and uniqueness in people and reminded the reader about the importance of art, music, prose and poetry to society. The world of Camazotz, a world controlled by IT where sameness is glorified and exceptions to the accepted normal destroyed, is not portrayed in an appealing light. It is the main character, Meg Murray’s, individuality and difference that help save her father and brother and the greater world of humans from IT.
I liked the message of acceptance of difference in this book and think it will be a great read for all children. Reading about difference goes a long way towards acceptance.
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.
When magical bad guys hurt people, I take care of them. Permanently.
This doesn’t make me popular with the rest of the magical community — as you can tell from the numerous break-ins and assassination attempts I’ve endured over the years. But thanks to my half-elven blood, a powerful sword named Chopper, and a telepathic tiger with an attitude, I’ve always been able to handle my problems with aplomb. Maybe some cursing and swearing, too, but definitely aplomb.
That changes when my boss is afflicted with a mysterious disease, a government agent starts investigating me, and a godforsaken dragon shows up in the middle of my latest job.
I’ve taken down vampires, zombies, and ogres, but dragons are way, way more powerful. And it doesn’t look like this one is going to like me.
Worse than that, he wants to use his magic to compel me to do his bidding, as if I’m some weak-minded minion.
That’s not going to happen. I’d die before being some dragon’s slave.
But if I can’t figure out a way to avoid him, save my boss, and get rid of the government spook, I’m screwed. Or dead. Or screwed and dead. And that’s never comfortable.
I listened to the audiobook of Sinster Magic, book 1 in Lyndsay Buroker’s Death Before Dragons series, narrated by Vivienne Leheny. Although I have listened to many of Buroker’s Science epic fantasy stories, this was the first urban fantasy by her that I had read. It has Buroker’s usual snark, which I love, and Leheny does a beautiful job with the narration as always, portraying a full cast of dwarves, vampires, dragons, and other dimensional tigers, as well as other supernatural beings and humans alike.
I listened to Buroker on the Six Figure Author podcast because she is a multi-genre author, and I enjoyed hearing how she handled the marketing for books of different genres. Buroker keeps her mailing lists seperate, because she believes that the readers of one genre wouldn’t be interested in reading her works in a different genre. Her co-host Adrienne Pearson does the same with her genres of fantasy and romance, too. In theory, that makes a lot of sense, but I have to say that I enjoyed this urban fantasy story just as much as I have the epic fantasy stories I have heard by her. Of course, I’m a multi-genre author, as well as a multi-genre reader, so perhaps I do not fall within the norms.
Delightfully distinctive characters and the Buroker snark makes for quite an entertaining urban fantasy story. I give Sinister Magic five quills.
Masterclass Articles offers eight tips for character development: establish motivation and goals, choose a voice, do a slow reveal, create conflict, create backstory for important characters, give characters believeable traits, create a visual image of characters, and give supporting characters conflicting traits. While these are all useful tips in character development, and they all kind of mesh in together, although the reveal, the visual image, and the supporting characters have more to do with the presentation of your character to readers once you have a fully developed character. You can read the full article here: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-develop-fictional-characters#4Zt0GK2DaQjsNILtGsWJYO
There are many ways to grow and discover your characters. We will talk about two methods of character development here. One method I use are character triangles, which give characters motivation and goals. And Shadow Theory is useful in creating a history and backstory for your characters, and are useful in determining what the points on your character triangle are. Determining your characters fears or flaws attributes them with believable and relatable traits.
Character Triangles
It is important that a writer creates unique and interesting characters by giving them a history, and both internal and external conflicts that are similar and relate to the theme. No one wants characters which are flat and two-dimensional. In order to write characters with depth you must know what their motivations are, and for that, characters must have a good idea of their background or where they’ve come from, and where they are going, or what their dreams are, in order to understand who they are in your story.
Let’s take a look at one of my characters from a horror screenplay that I wrote. During the writing, I found that the characters in this piece lacked depth, and I will take you through the process I used to make them more complex and well rounded. The screenplay now sits in a virtual trunk somewhere and will likely never see the light of day, but for the purposes of demonstrating how more depth might be revealed in a character, it serves my purpose well. This is the format we use introduce a character in a screenplay, but I find it helpful to use in my fiction writing, enabling me to see how fleshed out my characters are. The words in parenthesis indicate the function a trait serves (want, need, or fear/flaw) on the character triangle, which I use to determine character motivation.
My protagonist, Justine Avery is a young journalism student who goes to stay at a purported haunted house on a dare.
This was my origianl introduction for the protagonist: JUSTINE AVERY – 24, naive, fresh out of college with a degree in video/cinematography, she thinks the chance to work on Kaylee’s documentary might be her big break (want), so she wants this gig more than anything, bad enough to take it even though she’s scared to death of what might happen (fear). She needs to keep her integrity, so she can look at herself in the mirror every morning.
Now here’s the rewrite I did to try and deepen Justine’s character: JUSTINE AVERY – 24, naive, fresh out of college with a degree in video/cinematography, she thinks the chance to work on Kaylee’s documentary could lead to her big break into the business (want), so she wants this gig more than anything, bad enough to take it even though she’s scared of blowing it (fear), because of her low self-esteem and an inability to believe in herself and her abilities (flaw). She needs to learn to believe in herself and have confidence in her talent and skill.
I think this version is a little better. I changed her fear and I gave her a fatal flaw which could be her downfall unless she can triumph over it. (And the fear is directly connected with her flaw, which ties in with my theme: Self-Reliance. This offers her the potential for the needed transformation in the scene where her boyfriend, Mitch, forbids her to go on the gig and she chooses to walk away.)
It shouldn’t take much to also work in the details of her added backstory, which isn’t in my original bio for her: Raised by controlling, overbearing parents, she learned early in life that it is easier to go with the flow than to risk tipping the boat over with resistance. Currently in a relationship with Mitch, an overbearing, controlling guy who managed to turn their first overnight date into his moving in party so smoothly, Justine still isn’t sure how it happened. Mitch is verbally and emotionally abusive to her, but he derides her so much, she has come to believe the things he says about her and she harbors huge doubts about her own self-worth.
Justine is beginning to seem more like a character with some depth and we can get some idea of what motivates her actions. Allowing her a flaw of low self-esteem not only turned her into an imperfect human, but it offers her the choice of staying in a stagnant relationship and continuing to employ behaviors which are no longer effective, or transforming into the self-reliant woman hinted at in that early scene with Mitch. It is much clearer now what her arc will be, and it’s all tied in with the theme.
The character triangle which I use represents this transformation loosely, depicting the character’s want and need, which are not the same, although the character may believe that they are, and their fear or flaw, which is an obstacle to be overcome in order to achieve the character’s want. The want is the concious desire that motivates the character, while the need may not be so obvious, because their need is subconcious and the character may not realize that their need exists. The need is what the character ends up with, and is often in opposition to what the character desires.
Shadow Theory
Another method that seems to work well in creating in-depth or complex characters is the shadow theory of character building, which is the idea which delves into the hidden or repressed aspects of a character, and these traits usually play a part in the character tranformation which must occur for the character to complete their arc. I’ve been experimenting with incorporating this method into my own character developemnet.
This theory claims that traits that are apparent on the outside, have an exact opposite trait residing on a subconcious level, and the two opposites may be in conflict-kind of like the two little guys sitting on the character’s shoulders, telling him what to do. This type of depth is often revealed through subtext, because the dialog is what the character says, but it may conflict with what they are actually thinking.
K.M. Weiland explains it this way – “I call this trick shadow theory, and it’s simply this: whatever is visible in a person’s external personality is an indication that the exact opposite resides in the shadow.” You can learn more about the shadow theory, which stems from the theories of human behaviors developed by Carl Jung and how to use shadow theory to create deeper and more complex characters here: “How to Create Insanely Complex Characters Using “Shadow Theory”“
Both of these methods can be used to delve into your characters and give them depth and complexity. I have used just the character triangle to shape my characters
In next month’s segment of “Writer’s Corner”, we’ll talk about the visceral portrayal of your characters , which will cover the Matips we didn’t hit on here, so be sure to drop by.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw Kickstarter campaign ending soon
There are just a few days left for you to join in on our campaign! The more we raise, the more rewards we can offer. With the campaign ending soon, it’s almost the last chance to show support for author and project. The deadline is 8/31/23, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to get an early digital copy of the book, a signed print copy, an interview with the author, posters and so much more, available exclusively through the campaign.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw won’t release through distributors until September 18, so it is only available through my Kickstarter at this time. So click on the Kickstarter to learn more about this rocking time-travel adventure.
The Rock Star and The Outlaw is a story from my heart, inspired by the music of The Pretty Reckless, which is my favorite band. It’s a time-travel adventure. Amaryllis Sanchez is a rock Star in 2025. LeRoy McAllister is an outlaw from 1887. They’re both running from the law and other outlaws in their respective times and when they meet, it’s a non-stop adventure through time.
Check out the book trailer video on the Kickstarter page to learn more.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Trailer
More About the Book
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
About the Author
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is her passion. It is a very strange time indeed when Kaye Lynne does not have at least three WIPs, in addition to her other writings, teaching and other life activities. Kaye Lynne lives, works and plays in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
Visit her author’s blog and website, “Writing to be Read” to learn more about Kaye Lynne Booth and her writing. https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/
Release through distributors & book blog tour
If you miss the Kickstarter, The Rock Star & The Outlaw will release through distributors on September 19, 2023, and to celebrate, well be running a WordCrafter Book Blog Tour September 18-22.
Coming Soon: Midnight Roost
The 2023 WordCrafter Anthology, Midnight Roost will be scheduled for release October 17, 2023. This anthology of weird and creepy stories features works by talented authors including Zack Ellafy, Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Julie Jones, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo, Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostaczuk. Midnight Roost also features the winning story from the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, “Red Door House”, by Isabel Grey. More to come in next month’s “WordCrafter News”.
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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
Can Michele close the book on her neighbor’s mysterious past before a killer sets his sights on her?
With her kids away for the summer, widow Michele Lopez Hanson struggles with her newfound solitude. When her unmarried retired neighbor Gidget asks her to document her career in the art world, she’s eager for the company…and the advice on coping with an empty nest. But their trek down memory lane turns into a missing person search when Gidget dies and leaves behind a will that tasks Michele with finding her long-lost love child.
Before the casket lid closes, she feels a wave of sympathy for the endless stream of mourners from Gidget’s days as a high-powered art dealer. But when she learns the murderous truth behind Gidget’s death and she’s named the prime suspect, Michele realizes any one of the grieving artists and collectors could be the love child’s mystery father or her neighbor’s killer. To complete the memoir and clear her name, Michele must discover the ugly motives behind the picture-perfect murder before she joins her friend six feet under.
I listened to the audiobook edition of Fighting for Anna, a Michelle Lopez Hanson mystery, by Pamela Fagan Hutchins and narrated by Natalie Gray. I was immersed in this story from the very first chapter, when Michelle finds her elderly neighbor dead and the deputy she reports it to is so hostile toward her, foreshadowing the accusation later that she is the murderer. This story is well crafted with an intricately woven plot, and a diverse set of distinctive characters.
Michelle’s nieghbor is an elderly lady who was once the belle of the Houston art scene, who wants Michelle Lopez Hanson to be her biographer. But when Michelle and her kids find her neighbor dead, things begin to turn strange. Especially when it is revealed that Michelle was named as the beneficiary in the neighbor’s will and Michelle makes it her personal mission to make sure the woman, Anna’s, last wishes are fulfilled. When it is revealed thaat Anna was poisoned and Michelle is arrested for the murder, things really begin to heat up, and it just keeps getting hotter as Michelle with each clue that Michelle uncovers.
Natalie Gray has a wonderful voice which matches what I thought the character of Michelle Lopez Hanson would sound like. In addition, she manages distinctive voices for each character, and paces the story well.
An audiobook that will keep you listening to the very last page. Well crafted to keep you guessing, with just enough twists to maintain anticipation throughout. I give Fighting For Anna five quills.
(The Special Chirp Link above was given to me for sharing this book with others by Chirp. It offers this audiobook for $1 to new Chirp users, but it is regularly priced for repeat customers. I receive no monetary compensation or gain if you use it.)
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger. With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family? A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.
TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.
INSPIRED BY: The World Famous Corpus Christi Chronophage Clock, created by Dr. John C Taylor, OBE, and artist Anya Gallaccio’s Crystal Grotto, in Juniper Artland, Scotland.
Bloodstone is Book 1 in M.J. Mallon’s The Curse of Time series. I’m not sure what I expected when I picked up this book. I’m a sucker for time-travel stories, and the subject of time and parallel worlds perplex me, so I suppose I expected something along those lines given the clock on the cover and the series title. But that is not at all what this book is. But, Bloodstone may be just as enchanting.
This tale is a young adult novel dealing with the issues of a fifteen-year-old girl who has a very strange life. While her home life may be disfunctional, other parts of her life are magical in this delightful tale of magical realism. Things happen which may seem odd or unusual, but they seem to be everyday occurances in the fantastical world which Mallon has created.The result is a paranormal fantasy that deals with real adolecent issues like friends and boyfriends, peer pressure, depression, self-harm, and betrayal, in a manor that raises awareness, and still entertains.
Another unexpected touch the author offers up in this story is a syllabic poem as the heading of each chapter, which offers a hint to the events in the chapter to come. I found this to be a clever way to clue readers in and creative way to add to the magical feel of the story.
A refreshing surprise, Bloodstone captured my attention and my heart. I give it five quills.
