Sunday, September 30, 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012

My Main Characters- Certain Tendencies

It seems as if every writer has a tendency or area of comfort when creating their characters, whether it is to make them lean and tall or intelligent and outgoing. After all, most of our main characters have traits that we would like to have, or that we associate with an admirable person.

Female Tendencies:
  1. Now, this isn't always the case, but beauty always seems to be a factor when developing my heroines. In fact, upon examination of other literary *fantasy* works, I can't name a single heroine who has had an acne-covered face or even a wider-than-normal nose. Even characters that look down upon themselves are accepted naturally by others.
  2. Personality is also a huge factor when I'm developing my characters. Most of my female characters tend to be dynamic: shy at first, but through some kind of changing experience, their views on the world around them changes in its entirety.
  3. I tend to shy away from blond main characters: for some reason I find an inexplicable detachment from them, which is perhaps caused by the persistent hammering of certain stereotypes and generalizations. I intend to arm one of my main characters with golden locks in the future, however.
  4. Strength is one of my biggest commonalities. I despise tales that demean women, and write them off as damsels in distress. It is exceptional on certain levels, but I find it irritating that many people believed, and still believe, that woman are incapable of fending for themselves.
Click here for the artist!

Despite these tendencies, each and every character is treated to their own developed set of thoughts, ideas, and ways of thinking. They may do different things, express themselves in different ways, and generally behave in a different manner. When I write, I picture that I am the character, and I know instinctively how they will react when they are faced with each and every obstacle.

Male Tendencies: 
Click here for the artist! (right)
  1. Once again, this is a common tendency among authors. We all love the tall, dark, and handsome heroes, the ones that we dream of encountering in reality, only to be disappointed later on. They're always athletic or toned, to an extent. Most are sure of themselves and confident in their actions and decisions, whether they are good or bad. They are fought over, reveled about, and often end up turning the tables somewhere in the story.
  2.  Eyes are very defining for my male characters--eyes can tell the story of the character's background before they even deliver any dialogue whatsoever, and can foreshadow towards future events. Gray eyes mean mystery, as commonly known, and can hint towards a past filled with danger and despair.
  3. Defining/supernatural trait: Whether it is golden or silver eyes, wings, fangs, or even, more recently, a significantly wider peripheral vision, I like to set my male  characters apart from the rest. They are often non-human, and the most superior ones often end up causing more trouble than that of which they aim to cure. 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Music I Listen to While Writing

1) Jar of Hearts


2) Lindsey Stirling



3) To go off of that last song...anything Lord of the Rings The soundtrack is just so full of emotion--it's really the only track that can give me chills.


4)And this song mix--because I love free RPG games and I mainly write fantasy! Fantasy can be an escape from reality, and an inspiration to go out and explore more of the world we live in!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Contest Wins

Our Voice 2011
We went to this school building that was destined to be destroyed. It was huge--there was an area in the back where we sat and discussed reading our stories. And then, it was time! After several others, I went up to the front and read it. It was a lot of pressure, since there was more than a hundred people, but it was worth it!

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers Contest (Balticon 46)






 As you can infer from the multiple photos, Balticon 46 was a big deal!  I not only won 150 dollars, but I got to receive my reward in front of hundreds of people. The Balticon was amazing and I attended with my friend and father. Up until now, it was my biggest success.



The Sacrificed Characters 1 - Emerald Hayden

Emerald Hayden is 16, and the brave heroine of the City of Centsia. She is half-winged, giving her the beautiful appearance that many other walkers residing on the lower level are jealous of, but she lacks wings. This flaw prevents her from living in the higher world, though her father is fully winged himself.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Sacrificed

Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that I would be signing a contract at fifteen, but you never know, do you? 

The Sacrificed is a YA Fantasy Ebook soon to be released with Entranced Publishing. It is written by teen author Jordan Link, and follows Emerald Hayden as she struggled to survive against the odds in the City of Centsia.

Blurb:  16-year-old wingless Emerald Hayden is thrust into conflict at a young age, when she is born into a world where the winged people dominate and the walkers are forced to scrounge for the remains. But everything changes when Emerald meets Dusk, a winged who seems to have a different opinion of the society that they reside in.

Follow "The Sacrificed" on Facebook here!