WHERE DOES INSPIRATION COME FROM?

An Inside Look at a TOUCH OF BETRAYAL

I'm almost at the half-way point in Everly's newest book, a TOUCH OF BETRAYAL, and wanted to share a bit of my inspiration with you. Caution: this is draft material and could change at any moment.

In this scene, Everly is at her grandfather, Kahuna Aukele's, home. She on a mission to find Millie and Harlan, the former caretakers of her parents' property. 

I avoided the front stoop, looped around the side of Aukele's house, and was stopped cold by a massive wall of lush green plants. The mini jungle appeared to be about ten feet tall, so dense I couldn't see through it, and the variety of plants sported a plethora of colorful blooms. The heavy scent tasted deliciously sweet in my dry mouth. Why had I neglected to stop somewhere for  a bottle of water? I swallowed, facing the task in front of me equal parts determination and trepidation. 

The size of the jungle should have been an effective deterrent to exploring, but something kept me from backing away. Closing my eyes, I let my mind drift beyond the obvious. Why would a talented kahuna have an inaccessible backyard? Because it was the perfect place to hide, of course. Dropping more deeply into meditation, I spread my mental doors wide open and hoped for inspiration, answers, or in my best-case fantasy scenario—a yellow brick road.

And this is the photograph that inspired the scene:

It is obviously not tropical, and my imagination played with it quite a bit.

If all goes well, Betrayal should be out by the end of February... depending on how much I get done while the DH is away on a business trip. I'm planning on a high word count and well-behaved kitties. 

If you're keeping track of how Everly's adventures are coming along, please Like my Facebook fan page at: 
http://www.facebook.com/ljwrites
To keep in touch with my readers, I post here almost every day, and have finally set things up so the post should simultaneously be available on Twitter at the handle @luciejcharles. 

So, what do you think is going to happen when/if Everly breaks through the mini-jungle wall?

Happy Reading,
L.j.

TO TOUCH A THIEF on Audio!

Caroline Kessler, Actor and Narrator

It is my pleasure to introduce Ms. Caroline Kessler, the wonderful voice behind my first audio book. Caroline's audition was amazing, and she sounds exactly like the Everly Gray that resides in my mind. 

Caroline is an actor/ writer/ photographer/ video editor/ filmmaker in New York.  (She's a gemini, obviously.)  Her short film, "CONQUESTS" won the Special Jury Prize for Best Emerging Filmmaker.  When she has to do responsible things, like earn her keep and feed her cats, she edits commercials for Sam Adams beer.  But she would almost always rather be taking pictures or dancing tango. 

And now, here's Caroline!

How did you get interested in doing voice-overs?

Honestly, I'd always thought of the voice over industry as fascinating, but far too hard to break into.  I had done a little bit here and there, had a few "you should do voice-overs!" through the years, but found the process of trying to pull together a reel and find representation rather daunting.  It's hard enough to get those things done as an actor.  When ACX provided the chance to audition directly for an author, it seemed time to give it a go.  While acting and voice over work appear to go hand-in-hand, they are two completely different professions with different requirements and different skill sets.  I think being an actor helped me make the transition, but there has certainly been a learning curve.

 What kind of voice training do you have, or is it something that you developed naturally?

I am a classically-trained actor.  I have had voice and speech classes at the regional theater where I grew up, with the Royal Shakespeare Company's vocal coach, and just about everywhere in between!  It's a pretty big part of any actor's training: how do you use your voice to fill this theater's space?  With voice over, it is much the same techniques, but now instead of having to fill a character and a theater space, I can concentrate almost exclusively on character.  It's a lot more like film that way; there's the room to be subtle.  But, unlike film, there's no visual to fill in moments of muddied diction--so articulation is a main concern. 

When you sit down to narrate, how do you get yourself in the mindset to do all those voices? How hard is it for you to switch from a male voice, to a female voice in one sitting?

I often start to hear a character's voice during a first read.  It has a lot to do with the character herself; I don't feel like I make all that many decisions.  The writer is the creator, and ultimately I am trying to breathe life into these individuals whom she knows far more intimately than I.  So I always begin with the writer's intent (same for theater or film acting--the words are the thing.)  Then I start to make more specific decisions based on what I understand of the character, maybe consider who I would cast in the film version of the story and why.  In the case of  "To Touch a Thief," I heard Everly as a quirkier version of myself, Jane I instantly recognized as a character from a tv show I used to love to hate (to love), Mitch reminded me of a boy from college, and Parker had to be able to seduce anything and anyone.  This is how characters begins to grow, and take on lives of their own.  Suddenly I know how they would act in various situations, and it all flows very naturally.  In the best of circumstances, the writer feels like I have both understood his characters, and elevated them to even greater life.  

When it comes to recording, I have a rather practical trick: I underline each character's dialogue in a dedicated color, so I know visually in advance if a shift is coming up.

Your voice is obviously quite valuable. Is there anything special that you need to do to protect it, such as voice exercise or days of rest?

 I'll do some vocal exercieses before I begin, and keep water or warm tea nearby--but I have found the most important trick is to take breaks.  If I begin to get tired (and continuously speaking is surprisingly exhausting), I'm going to jumble words no matter how hard I try.  I do find myself being a little quieter after a long recording session, though not to preserve my vocal chords--merely because I'm tired of the sound of my own voice!

You work as an actor, a filmmaker, and a video editor.  Do all of these skills help with voiceover?

I work as the voice talent and as the producer on my ACX titles, which means I'm responsible for performing, recording, editing, and mastering the final product.  I think it is the perfect marriage of my acting and editing interests.  For me it's a matter of pride, and really a fulfilling experience, to know the audio has been in my hands from start to finish.  My time, energy, and care is in every part of those recordings.

What drew you to audition for this particular book?

My love of reading absolutely stems from my sixth-grade English teacher introducing me to Agatha Christie.  I was crazy about mysteries, and my mom could hardly keep up with the trips to the mall bookstore required to keep me busy.  I think mysteries are wonderful examples of some of the most engaging storytelling.  This project takes me right back to that early joy of literature.  And Everly is delightful!

You can find Caroline at 

  www.CarolineKessler.com

To listen to a sample of To Touch a Thief click on the cover below. Please listen to the sample, and leave a comment. Or, if you have questions for Caroline, she'll stop back a few times today to answer them.

One commenter will win an Audible copy of TTAT. 

Forensic accountant, Jayne Hunt, will do whatever it takes to catch the thief stealing charitable contributions from Steele Management, Inc. - even it means asking Everly Gray and her bothersome ESP fingers for help. 

Parker Steele has a solid, tactical strategy to disrupt Jayne's spreadsheet fixation with his charms, and claim her for his own - until family secrets, a dirty cop, and a dangerous toxin blow his plan to bits and put their lives in imminent danger. 

 

Kickstarter!

Today I'm happy to introduce Judy Dawn as my guest poster. She's started a new project that's very interesting, and might be inspiring for some you who would like to kickstart one of your dreams. Judy is the published author of the Men of Snow series, and the Dragon Ring Legend series. You can find her books on Amazon here: Judy Dawn's Amazon author page

And here's Judy...

The Making of Miracles

I heard that miracles happen on Kickstarter. Innovators ask their real friends, online friends, and kind-hearted strangers to chip in and help make dreams reality. The supporters (backers) enjoy the sweet satisfaction of knowing they helped an innovator realize their goal. And the innovator supplies a token of appreciation in return, a reward, to the backer.

When I heard miracles happened on Kickstarter, I knew it was the place to launch my cyberpunk Robin Hood concept.

I started my writing career with a number of different slogans helping to describe my characters journey. None of them really accurately depicted my stories. But like those projects, I needed a nutshell description for my cyberpunk Robin Hood Kickstarter campaign.

In my research, I came across a science fiction sub-genre called cyberpunk. I can’t tell you how excited I was to find this genre:

Cyberpunk is a postmodern science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983. It features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.

Cyberpunk plots often center on a conflict among hackers, artificial intelligences, and megacorporations, and tend to be set in a near-future Earth, rather than the far-future settings or galactic vistas found in novels such as Isaac Asimov's Foundation or Frank Herbert's Dune.

Now, everyone knows Robin Hood stories deal with taking from the corrupt rich and giving to the suppressed poor. I’m one who enjoys this premise too. There are a number of theories that attempt to identify a historical Robin Hood. It has long been suggested, by John Maddicott, that "Robin Hood" was a stock alias used by thieves in 1911. The earliest recorded example, in connection with May games in Somerset, dates from 1518.

My cyberpunk Robin Hood catch phrase is born: In 2050, Robin Hood fights Social V3 Elites for freedom over our online communities and entertainment.

Robin Hood dedicates her time and talents in ending the Elite’s strangle hold on the combined real world and virtual world experience. She uses every resource and skill she can muster to stop the climbing exchange rates that are bleeding people’s accounts.

However, the Elites absorb her hacker attacks unaffected. She doubts her ability to change the system or create enough awareness about the immediate future. How can she and her small group stop the downward spiral of world economy?

I’ve chosen a female cyberpunk Robin Hood because I write strong, sassy female characters. I’m serious about this book, and now, I feel an added commitment to my Kickstarter backers. I’m in overdrive on this one. I hope you’ll take time to check out “Cyberpunk Robin Hood ” and other Kickstarter projects. For more about me, check out www.JudyDawn.com. Thank you for spreading the word.

Waterford: A Moment of Inspiration

Merritt's Gift for the Sidhe Queen

As many of you know, I planned to use my experiences on our recent trip to Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and England to plot and write Merritt's story...the final book in the Lifethread Trilogy.

Our visit to the Waterford laboratories helped me to create the gift Merritt needed to present to the Sidhe Queen.

Waterford crystal is all hand blown...

And many pieces are one-of-a-kind...

My imagination played with this concept and I ran it by Merritt, Shealie, McKenna, and The Guys. They all agreed that a magick necklace would be the perfect gift. It turned out to be beach glass rather than blown glass, but without the inspiration from my visit to Waterford...well, Merritt probably still wouldn't have an appropriate gift.

And this is what it looks like:

And a brief excerpt from Destiny...

Gabe hit me with a stare. "Whatcha planning to give her?"

My stomach did a flip. "How'd you know I have to give her something?"

His eyebrows hiked up a notch.

Okay. So it was probably a dumb question. "I haven't got a clue. What would entertain the Sidhe Queen?"

"Something she can't create," Shealie said, licking a smear of butter from her finger.

My brain kicked into gear. "How about something you can create?"

A question for my readers: Do you think the Sidhe Queen will be happy with her gift  (magick intact, of course)? 

Merritt's Story: The Beginning

I've just started writing Merrit's story, the third book in the LIFETHREAD Trilogy. I typically chat with my characters to see where and how they want their story to unfold, and I wanted to share our first conversation with you. 

Me: "I think it's time to get started on your story."

Mer: Opens one eye and peeks at me from under a blanket. "You left me for last. Why should I wake up now?"

Me: Exaggerated sigh. Merritt is my problem child. "Because it's time for your Destiny to unfold."

Mer: Sitting up. "What makes you think you know anything about my Destiny? Lachesis is responsible for Destiny, and has been since long before you started writing us into life."

Me: Taking a fortifying swallow of Diet Coke. "It's my job to know these things. Now get out of that bed and participate. You'll regret it if you leave your Destiny up to me. You know you will."

Mer: Tossing the covers back with a snap. "All right. I'm up." She squints at me. "You've already started writing and you've put me in...oh, well, then. I've always wanted to go to Scotland."

Me: "Um-hmm. But I'll probably move you to Ireland soon."

Mer: Bouncing up and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "Ireland is okay. Now, what about a guy? I'm the only one of us priestesses left without a guy, so you better make him good. I'm thinking really hot and with some magick. McK and Shealie both got guys with magick. I definitely want a hot magick guy."

Me: Another sigh. "We'll see. The first thing you need to do is enter the land of Faerie and - "

Mer: Tapping her foot, interrupting me. "No. I don't like that at all. I'm a priestess. We work for the Fates and they have nothing to do with the Fae, so that's a really bad idea."

Me: Chuckling. "Too late. You overslept, and things happen when you ignore the alarm clock. Now, I'm going to show you the entrance to Faerie, but the rest is up to you to figure out."

Mer: Blinking furiously. "You can't be serious. There isn't even a path."

Me: Smiling enigmatically. "That's right. You need to find your own way or you won't learn your Destiny."

Mer: Huffing. "Do I have to swim? I don't have an aversion to water like McKenna, but that looks like seriously cold water. No. I won't do it." She crosses her arms.

Me: Grinning. "Your choice. There's land there too, you know. And if you don't do it, there definitely won't be a guy in your life. And you'll be stuck at seventeen forever."

Mer: Glaring. "You're threatening me."

Me: Raising eyebrows.

Mer: "Okay. But I'm not gonna make this easy for you." She peeks around the edge of the photograph and disappears. 

Typical Merritt. Now I'll have to chase her and see what she's gotten into. Please join us as we explore Norway (I didn't tell her about that. Heheheh.), Ireland, Scotland, and England. It should be interesting to see what unfolds. So, tell me, what do you think should happen to Merritt when she enters the land of Faerie? 

a TOUCH OF THE PAST

AN INSIDE VIEW OF EVERLY'S VISIT TO SAND ISLAND

I'm blessed with several very good friends who live in Hawai'i and who are willing to tolerate me as a house guest for extended periods of time. Many of the scenes in my books are inspired by these visits. So, in celebration of the release of A TOUCH OF THE PAST, I thought I'd share a few of the pictures from behind the scenes.


About mid-way in PAST, Everly chases after the villain, and finds herself in one of the less-populated recreational areas of Honolulu, Sand Island. On the day I was there, it was almost deserted, rain threatened, and it had the quietly creepy feeling, like something bad was about to happen. 

  

From a Touch of the Past:

The air was heavy and smelled industrial, slightly chemical, and moist. Cloying. "I found pictures of the watchtowers on the Internet. I thought I’d hide in one and see who showed up. Maybe get a license plate number for you to trace."

Pierce’s eyebrows twitched.

We hiked for a good ten minutes, Pierce doing his thing—watching every direction at once, keeping me in his sight, and his hands loose. My sneakers smacked against the damp grass with a swishy, sucking noise that defined every step. He moved silently and faded into the wind—a wisp of energy that dissolved into the dark, practically nonexistent.

I spotted a structure that offered a good view of the surrounding area and headed toward it. "There, maybe."

The wind, scented with the promise of rain, tugged at my hair. I shivered.

Pierce edged close to me, the front of his body barely touching my back. Warmth seeped across the space between us, and he tapped my shoulder—a signal to stop. "Bad choice. I’ll boost you into that tree."

Tree? So stupid to have worn shorts. My already scratched legs wouldn’t fare well with tree climbing. I planted my feet. "Why not the watchtower. It would be easy to climb up the support structure, and it has those nifty open slats overlooking—"

"Crumbling concrete. Unstable and too obvious." Tension radiated through his fingers as they hit the small of my back with a thump. "Move. Now."

I ran toward the tree, and Pierce had me wedged onto a shoulder-high branch before I caught my breath. "Climb." He pointed to a sturdy niche several feet above me.

By the time I’d angled into a comfortable position, he’d disappeared into the night. 

Hawai'i will continue to be the setting for several more books in this series. I hope you enjoy Everly's adventures in the islands as much as I enjoyed writing about them. 


What are some of the prickly neck places you've visited?

Happy Reading!

L. j.

Available in digital format at AMAZON 

and BARNES & NOBLE