Author: tamaramorning

Character Introduction: Cacia

I’m supposed to be posting here twice a week. That’s my goal (as of mid-May, anyway). However…I frequently occasionally find it difficult to come up with something to write about.  That makes posting quite a bit more difficult, as you can imagine.  Sadly, I don’t have hours to spend in dreamy contemplation of what to blog about.  In fact, I’m lucky to have 15 minutes to both come up with a topic and compose the blog.  I recently saw a suggestion to blog about your characters and story.   While that would seem blindingly obvious…it never occurred to me before, except to mention them in passing.  But now I’m going to remedy this deplorable lack on my part.  So…

I’d like you to meet Acacia Fauve, or Cacia.  Cacia doesn’t think she’s anything special.  Average height, average build, with brown eyes.  Her only remarkable physical feature–in her mind, anyway–is her dark red hair. She doesn’t like attention, so she keeps it braided all the time. She’s mostly shy, unobtrusive, and trusts very few people. Very, very few. Like, two…She works as an assistant to the “customs” agent in Thule. She is terrified of mages (more on that in a sec). Cacia sees ghosts. All day, everyday. Her best friend is a cat named Damali who also sees ghosts–at least Cacia thinks he does. He’s not a talking cat or anything, just a regular old cat, so he can’t exactly tell her.

Cacia lives in a tiny cubbyhole not far from the shop. She has one other friend besides Damali, a servant named Ben who works in the castle. She doesn’t see him much, but he’s still her friend. She’s about twenty now, but when she was ten, she saw her entire family killed. They were jungle farmers, back when it was safe to live in the jungle, but the Wakaun came out of nowhere one day and killed her family. Cacia isn’t sure how she survived–or why–but the arrival of the Wakaun drove her into the city.

She doesn’t talk about her ability. To anyone. Not even Ben. The yearly feast of Zo–where the priests do a bloodletting on everyone so they can see the ghosts of their ancestors in an offering of power to Anik (a god)–is a nightmare for her. She avoids it, because the bloodletting only makes her power worse, and she doesn’t need any more crazy in her life. She has quite enough, thank you. And speaking of crazy…Cacia avoids the mages at all costs. She thinks they’re crazy, and she knows they’re greedy for power, so she stays far, far away, and is very careful to keep a tight grip on both her power and her emotions. There’s safety in control and calmness, and she likes it that way. At least until she meets Breck and Casanova…

Idea Conundrum

So, I’ve been halfway working on the DOTD story idea lately. By “halfway,” I mean mostly guilt over letting my brainstorming/outlining slide in favor of school and reading. (It’s summer. I can only focus on so many things at a time…) Yesterday was actually a fairly good day. I did a bit of brainstorming and “outlined” my next eight scenes. I like this story idea a lot. I think it will be a lot of fun to write, and it has some bits and pieces I’ve been playing with for a while now (years, actually). I’m loving the characters AND the world. So yes, I’m looking forward to writing it. I just don’t have that much actual time to write it right now.

But…there’s this other idea that kept popping into my head yesterday. It’s one I flirted with briefly for NaNo last year and decided against only because I didn’t have time (there’s that word again) to do the actual prep work to do the story justice. But now it’s rearing its head again. This one’s YA paranormal with Sirens and Spartans and the MC’s voice keeps popping into my head, saying “Pick me! Pick me!”

What to do?

Semi-Sweet, by Roisin Meaney

Roisin Meaney has published in Ireland for several years, but her newest novel, Semi-Sweet

Semi-Sweet (from 5 Spot)
, is the first to make it to U.S. markets. Full of small-town Irish charm and delectable cupcakes, Semi-Sweet is a light-hearted read that would be perfect for lounging poolside on July 4th.

Hannah loves her life. She has a wonderful boyfriend, Patrick. She’s about to realize her longtime dream of opening her own cupcake shop. Then Patrick tells her he’s leaving her for someone else, and Hannah’s dreams come crashing down around her. Before life can overwhelm her, her best friend, Adam, steps in, giving her a deadline of his birthday—seven months away—to make a go of the shop.

Soon Hannah’s life is a hectic swirl of long days, early-morning baking, and trying to get over Patrick—and his now-pregnant girlfriend. Despite her fears, the shop is doing well, and she even has some regular customers, including one handsome stranger with a sweet tooth. Hannah just isn’t sure she’s over Patrick, and trusting someone again is a scary prospect, but at least she’s surrounded by friends and family who support her.

Adam falls hard for a shy musician, and his desperation to win her affections knows no bounds. Family friend Alice’s life has taken a downward turn, and her husband, Tom’s; drinking is bad…but worse is in store. There’s a lot going on in this small Irish town, and the people in Hannah’s life will never be the same.

Semi-Sweet is a charming, engrossing tale of small-town life and one woman’s struggles to overcome her hurt and hang on to her dreams. Hannah’s pain and recovery is vivid and realistic, and her relationship with Adam is fun and uplifting—like a true best friendship should be. Fair warning: in addition to claiming the reader’s full attention for hours, this book is also sure to create an overwhelming desire for cupcakes!

(Galley provided by 5 Spot via NetGalley)

Procrastination…I Have It

Badly. In fact, so badly, it’s probably Stage IV. Seriously. It’s a struggle to make myself do homework, much less anything else! I have a daily planner that I fill out religiously (and with much detail) every week. This week, I’m maybe getting 50% of my to-do lists done. Not for lack of time. I’ve only worked one day since Saturday (Sad, I know. I should be ashamed to even write that…). It’s just complete and total lack of motivation.

At least I got my homework done (until Sunday, anyway). With only two more weeks in the summer semester, falling behind isn’t a good idea. But I have a writing project that needs outlined, and I need to finish a revision and start another one. Not to mention getting started on my certification at work…Can I get a couple of days with 48 hours in them, please?

Anyone have any tricks for overcoming procrastination? I’d really appreciate them…when I get around to implementing them, anyway.

It’s the End of the World (as We Know it)

I had a horrible weekend. My internet was out. I couldn’t check my email ALL weekend. I almost had a nervous breakdown/withdrawal symptoms. Not only that, my cell phone is acting up, so I couldn’t check my email on that, either. It was the longest weekend ever! I didn’t know what to do with myself. Okay, I worked on Saturday, so it could have been worse, but still, 48 hours with no internet? The horror! Apparently, I can only take so many naps in a day…

I mean, it was bad enough that I couldn’t do homework (Yeah. I’m one of THOSE people. I had homework. It needed to be done. I’d rather do it than procrastinate. So sue me.) I couldn’t read any of my online books. I couldn’t listen to my new addiction (neoclassical) on Pandora. Not being on Facebook didn’t bother me, surprisingly enough, but the lack of email was…painful. I was so happy when the tech guy showed up bright and early Monday morning and got it fixed. (And also astonished. When they say “He’ll be there between 8 and 12, you don’t really expect him to be there until, say…11:45. But this guy showed up at 8:20.) As soon as he left, I got right online to get my fix.

So, tell me, how technology-addicted are YOU?

I Regret My Cynicism…

…Okay, not usually. Usually I embrace it. With pride. But today…today, I regretted it just a tiny bit. I have this patient that I sometimes take care of. He’s 93. He always has his cell phone with him, which was kind of funny to me at first. I mean, how many 92-year-olds do YOU know who actually have a cell phone?

Well, today he asked me “Do you want to see a picture of the most beautiful girl in the world?” Of course, not being heartless, I said “Yes.” So he showed me a picture of his wife. She was smiling widely, looking like she loved life and was deliriously happy. Then he said “I lost her in November. I miss her so much. I love her SO much.” They had been married three days shy of 70 years, and he is still madly in love with her.

I almost cried. It kind of gives me hope that maybe there are still some decent guys out there…somewhere. (Even if I don’t know any of them.)

Mercy, by Rebecca Lim

Mercy (Hyperion)

What would you do if you woke up in someone else’s body, with no memory of how you got there or who you where? It’s happened to Mercy before, but that doesn’t make it any easier to adjust to taking over someone else’s life. When she wakes up on a bus in the body of Carmen, a shy girl who loves to sing, she has no idea what’s going on. She has brief flashes of previous lives, but she doesn’t know who, or even what, she is. She does know that Carmen is shy, and is used to being on the fringes of life, but with her school participating in a vocal concert, and Carmen the lead soloist, Mercy has to learn quickly—and make sure she doesn’t ruin Carmen’s life while she’s at it.

She’s staying with the Daley family, whose daughter, Lauren, disappeared two years ago. Lauren’s twin brother, Ryan, is convinced Lauren is still alive, and soon Mercy is, too. But Luc, the mesmerizing man she keeps seeing in her dreams warns her not to interfere. As Mercy helps Ryan search for his sister, she uses a power she doesn’t fully comprehend to learn the truth, and the two grow closer—even as the trail they are following takes an unexpected twist. Mercy must decide between helping Lauren, and helping Carmen. Forced to make an impossible choice, will she learn to use her power before it’s too late?

Mercy, by Rebecca Lim, is the first in a series about a fallen angel with amnesia. This books isn’t big on back-story revelations for Mercy, but it is big on mystery and suspense. There are no slow scenes in this book; from the moment Mercy wakes up in Carmen’s body, through her floundering attempts to figure out what’s going on. The author gives us a distinct feeling for Mercy and her confusion, as well as her longing to find out who she is—and to find out just what history she and Luc share.

(Galley provided by Hyperion via NetGalley)

Say Hello to my Little Friend…

I woke up this morning talking to myself. Well, sort of. Before you call for the men in the white coats, let me explain….

You know that state where you’re not quite awake, and you’re not quite asleep? That almost-twilight place? That’s where I was. And I found myself having a conversation with a character in the DOTD story. At least, I think he was a character. If not, then I have a new imaginary friend. His name is Breck…

Honestly, this isn’t the first time I’ve found myself having a conversation with a character. When working on the Witches stories, I frequently have actual arguments with Kahleena. And I spend quite a bit of time giving Julien orders that he promptly ignores. (Seriously, does he have to be such a spoiled prince all the time? You’d think he was running the show.) But this is the first time I’ve had a conversation with someone from the DOTD story. And up until this morning, I had no idea what Breck looked like, so it was like talking to a stranger. He has red hair, by the way. Not Carrot Top red, or anything, just a nice strawberry blond. I was surprised. How many male MCs have red hair (I can think of one: Jamie Fraser in the Outlander books)? And he’s an actor, too. I don’t normally think of them having red hair. Besides that, my female MC in this story has red hair. Fortunately, hers isn’t strawberry blonde, but still, two red-haired characters? I need to have a chat with my Muse…At least he has blue eyes, so he and Acacia aren’t clones of each other or anything. Maybe I can talk him into dyeing his hair?

Yeah, ’cause having a discussion with an imaginary person about changing his hair makes me sound so much saner…

Transitions

First of all, why does it have to be so hot? At 6:30 p.m, it really shouldn’t be 105 degrees, now should it? No wonder I haven’t been outside since 9 a.m….I’m not sure if it’s the heat, or the shock to my system from being in New Orleans five days last week. I mean, it was hot there, but it wasn’t this hot. And this is my first Texas summer in two years. Can I just say I’m not impressed? It’s only mid-June, and it’s already well over the century mark. Not my idea of fun.

Let’s add the horrible heat to the slight bit of culture shock I’m experiencing, and you’ll see why I’ve felt out-of-sorts this week. Last week, this was what I was doing Saturday night:

Bourbon Street

And also this:

Drinks!

This week? I’m at home. Doing homework. Fighting to stay awake at 8:30 at night. What is wrong with this picture? Better question: what is right with this picture? Beats me…I’m hoping this blue funk goes away. If not, I’ll be forced to admit that I’m horribly homesick for a place that I only spent two years in (Okay, and that I was fascinated by and drawn to for a good 10+ years before that.), and that the place I’ve always called home…no longer is.

On a side note, I just discovered Neoclassical music (Abandoned Toys, anyone), and can I just say wow? I am blown away. And this music so fits my mood…

Progress…Not So Much, This Week

Or, really, at all…Okay, so I did get another five phases of the DOTD story outlined. But that’s pretty much it. This week has been a little hectic, between work, appointments, a friend’s birthday party, and packing to go to New Orleans later this week. Oh, and I just realized today (as in, about 5 p.m.), that my summer class starts tomorrow, and not next Monday, like I thought. Oops. It’s a good thing it’s an online class, since I’ll be out of town for five days.

I’m SOOO looking forward to visiting my second home and seeing family and friends. I need a vacation!