Thursday, February 23, 2012

The fund is full!!

Before all else, note that the book I promised you--the one that is no longer about little ponies but still holds a heart of my coming-of-age experiences--is now for sale to one side of this blog and on my web page. If anyone who reads the book can identify the pony that goes with by the pony's original name (so some research will be involved), you get a free be on a copy of Weaver's Web.

So I may have mentioned a few times that I want my own bassoon. It is a long standing obsession ever since I lost access to a bassoon to play my first year in college. Unfortunately, unlike playing the flute, a bassoon is a hefty investment I have never had the room to justify. However, after selling several family heirlooms none of us wanted to be heir to, I have the money for a midgrade bassoon and the search will start!

Some of you slicker readers may have put together that Weaver, in Weaver's Web, is a concert level bassoonist. Does this mean I use my own life as grist for the mill?

Absolutely. Somewhat. I do believe that reality works best in fiction. I know about bassoons. Why would I choose an instrument for my main character that I would have to pretend to know about? Though, yes. I also do research. Some obviously requires books. In Rebirth, I had to research ancient Celts. No way of getting that first hand.

The places in urban fantasies I most often have visited, if I specify them. Houses and apartments are usually ones I've visited. In a week, I'm taking a trip to New Orleans and the Ozarks to research settings for Wood Weaver, the next book in the Weaver series.

The other question becomes, do I use me in my characters. For years I denied it. I categorically denies it. I never set out for them to do so. I dedicate hours to creating characters lives, back histories, and quirks, but in the end an aspect of me always appears. For the same reason I end up using reality in other aspects of my writing. What I know best is me. When I relate to my characters, which I must to write well, I relate to a touch of me. What would make that character my friend if we lived in real life together (okay, I probably wouldn't be friends with most of my villains, but I do understand why they do what they do)

Hello, my name is Bets, and my writing reflects me.

6 comments:

  1. What kind of research are you doing right now?

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  2. I'm preparing for a trip to New Orleans and the Ozarks for a madcap time understanding the city and country. And, of course, as always, boning up on my mythologies.

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  3. Come on, help out here with at least a teaser tip. Why New Orleans? Why not Milwaukee or Sandusky or Gulf Shores?

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  4. Does that mean that if I can tell you which pony goes with which character, I get a copy of the book? *Big Grin*

    (Not that I need another copy, since I now have 3... 4 if you include the Kindle.)

    On a more serious note, I'm so glad that you have your funds now for a bassoon!

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  5. I love the fusion fantasy (obviously!), but I am really interested to read a traditional fantasy by B.D. I mean, assuming you advertise traditional fantasy w/ My Pretty Pony massacres!

    Congrats on the Bassoon!

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  6. Yes. If you can name that pony, you get a book. You could either give other people a chance to do the leg work to figure it out, or you could answer me, and give the book to someone who hasn't read it yet. Either way, someone new will be reading my work, which is all I really care about.

    Yes and no about the more traditional fantasy. It is not urban in the least. I'm doing a made up world with made up creatures, which most take as more traditional fantasy. It is actually somewhat more traditional. Most of it is gentler. If I didn't have a couple of gory gores in there it could be even YA. At the same time, I still pull some lines from my horror background. I also try my best to run opposite the traditional plot in this book, not to spoil. Shining is the first coming-of-age novel that I have coming out. There's a great tradition of coming-of-age in fantasy, but I also believe it to be a blend of another specific genre.

    As for the spoiler on the next Weaver installment: It is called Wooden Weft. The main bad guy, when I wrote out his character sheet, ended up choosing the terrain. The war is amping up, and it isn't called The City of the Dead for nothing.

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