Showing posts with label yassa book 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yassa book 2012. Show all posts

Friday, January 27, 2012

Crying in My Cocktail

Wow. Chapter 12 really took a toll on me. I haven't been able to write anything for two solid days because it's bothering me that my protagonist has embraced his angry side and unleashed it on women and children. I may go change some of that chapter up later. It's just a wee bit too brutal there, possibly...

I hope you are all enjoying the book and blog. Writing has proven to be exhilarating and drains me creatively. I have a series of paintings I am about to begin work on so the book is going to slow down a little bit. I'm guessing down to two or three chapters a week as opposed to the four to five I am writing right now.

I am still on schedule for a late April-early June release and will be doing the cover art and typesetting of the book myself. Anyone reading want to vote on a font for the text? It will be serifed so no arial or helvetica :)

I must run now!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Excerpt Chapter 12

An excerpt from yesterday's chapter:

I walked up and put my mouth to his ear and allowed myself to revel in the fact that he was trembling in fear of me before I hissed, in a low whisper with a deep, guttural sound, “No. I told you I would spare your family. Watch what I do to your brothers and be thankful you loosed your tongue.”

    With that, I turned and strode to the smallest child remaining in the line. I raised my sword and cut off her head in one motion. Her father screamed and made promises to end my life before I had him gagged and moved on to his wife. I told my man to hold him so he could watch what his actions had brought down upon his family. I knelt down to the weeping woman and raised her chin.

    I looked into her eyes and asked, “Do you love your husband?”

    She nodded.

    “Did you love your child?”

    Again, she nodded.

    “Do you know why I am going to kill you?”

    She began to cry harder and nodded her head vigorously.

    “Let your husband know what a filthy pig he is and how you are dishonored by his actions against my wife.”

    She screamed, “I cannot believe you would do this to your family! You have brought down the anger of God by stealing another man’s wife! Why must you have been so full of greed? You have disgraced us all!”

    I cut her throat and let her fall into the dirt.



My character took a terrible turn for me yesterday and his actions seemed a bit despicable to me at first. When I talk of him murdering children, I get a little sick. However, he promised to make those men never forget his name and to make sure that no one would ever dare touch a member of his family again. I'm guessing this did the trick if those men went and spoke of the atrocities committed in the name of vengeance.

Jamuka makes his first turn in this chapter as well. We shall see what he does with his newly recognized feelings and how he decides to win the heart of the woman he loves.

Writing chapter 13 today, possibly. I may let it stew a day or two...

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Revenge

Today is all about revenge. We are going to slaughter them all. They have stolen her and we are going to get her back with much bloodshed. There will be no mercy. :)

I can't wait to get started today and have been building this up for a few chapters. Let's see how it goes!

You may get an excerpt tomorrow :)

Until then, WRITE ON!!

Jo


Monday, January 23, 2012

Cruising Right Along

Well, chapter 10 is complete! I promised you a list of the chapter titles thus far and I am delivering on that promise today.

Prologue
Chapter 1 - The Business of Wives
Chapter 2 - Of Plots and Abandonment
Chapter 3 - Metamorphosis
Chapter 4 - I Run, I Hide, I Die
Chapter 5 - Slaves
Chapter 6 - Escape
Chapter 7 - It's Me Again
Chapter 8 - Training
Chapter 9 - Marriage
Chapter 10 - Bloodlust
Chapter 11 - To War

That's all I have written/started so far. When we get to the part about revenge, there will be much bloodshed in the honor of love and retribution. I am so in tune with Temujin right now, I feel his anger and desire revenge as much as he does.

I hope everyone reading this blog will be looking forward to the resulting book. I am almost halfway there and the story took over. A minor character had the nerve to walk in and make himself a major character without my permission but he adds a certain something to the story line and could not be denied his desired status.

I am falling in love with each of my characters and when I kill them, it will hurt. You'll understand why when you meet them.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Unbelievable! Chapter 9!

I have completed Chapter 9! It has all the components of a truly thrilling chapter: Love, Loss, Sex, Arguments, and Rage.


This poor couple just needs to be left alone so they can finally be together! There have been so many things that have come between them. I may give them a whole chapter dedicated to loving one another. Then again, what fun would that be?

I may give a short list of chapter titles here soon so you can get an idea of how the story flows.

A problem that I am experiencing is, I am living through my characters, in my story. I am filled with loss when a loved one dies, filled with love when they share kisses, and filled with anger when they want to kill. I don't know how to shake it after I stop writing for the day but maybe this is the basis of excellent writing. I cried for a full hour last night because of the end of Chapter 9.

I wonder how many other writers have this same crux to work through and how they do it. Do you give in to it and allow it to consume you or do you have a way to get your head out of your book and back into reality?

Just being 34 years old, I have probably only read a few thousand books in my lifetime, but I constantly find myself being drawn into the world I am reading about and feeling what the people in the stories feel. It becomes a hard slap back to reality when the story is over but I do it over and over again. Why?

I have been lucky to find a living fairy tale in my significant other (may every woman be so lucky) and often find myself comparing my love to that of Cinderella and Prince Charming :)

Well, Chapter 10 is on the agenda for today, gotta run!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo


Sunday, January 15, 2012

Chapter Seven is Written

Chapter seven, It's Me Again, is written. Tomorrow is a cleaning day so, HOUSE BEWARE! Ha!

I am lucky to have an unscheduled day this week and hope to get at least chapter 8 out of my head and on to paper.

Well begun is half done!

Talk again soon!

Write On!

Jo

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Story Behind the Book

In my first semester of college, back in 2004, I was required to pick a historical figure and write a research paper about him or her. I was lost as to subject matter so I asked around. I got a lot of responses but my favorite one was that I should write about Genghis Khan. When I asked why, the person responded, "Because the man conquered more of Eurasia than anyone in history and it will give you a lot of subject matter."

I ran with the idea because I agreed and had always been interested in powerful people (the next semester, I chose Queen Elizabeth I). I began my research by reading everything about Genghis that I could get my hands on. I discovered that the person who made the suggestion only knew of Genghis's conquests and nothing about his actual family or relationships therein.

I wrote my paper and got an A.

During my great many readings on the subject, I stumbled upon an odd sort of fact: Genghis had a best friend that ended up being his mortal enemy. I wondered at why. I thought to myself, "There MUST be a story there. Real or imagined."

This is where the idea for the book "Yassa" came from. I have always been an avid reader and my overactive imagination decided to take my thoughts and run with them.

After changing my major, taking a leave from school for health reasons, and completing my Graphic Design degree just last May, I am excited to say that "Yassa" is finally going to be a reality.

Everyone has at least one great book in them. I have many more than that.

Today is a writing day. Getting my story out of my head and onto paper is the biggest challenge so far. I will write all of chapter 7 before giving up to sleep.

Stay tuned, blog readers!!

Write on!

Jo