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HI HO Away I go!
To B&N this morning!
Meeting Anthony shortly for a few hours before he heads for Houston. Anthony should come by once a month, I think, for writing sessions, though they tend to be more talk sessions than writing.
But last night was productive...more than Anthony probably realizes. And I appreciate what he said (even if he doesn't realize what he said). LOL. Basically, he pointed out how in the past I've always been so bouncy whenever I talked of WOLFHUNTER.
Mind you, this story has been around a good, let's see...7 years. SEVEN YEARS! I have 3-4 different versions of it. Why? Because I let The Wrong People Crit It and Nearly Ruin It.
Linda might not remember this, but in 2006(!!!!) she sent me back the original version I had written, and lost, due to computer death. She had it in her email.
That is the version I am going with. Which, amazingly enough--was the Pre-Them version, the original, the first, the first person version, the... Well, you get the picture.
I just sat and reread the almost 8,000 words I had on this, and yeah I see now--CAN see now--some problems, but all in all, as I told Anthony, I want to bitch-slap myself so hard for giving up on this.
And yet...seven years ago, there wasn't a healthy market for this type of story.
EDITED TO ADD: In fact, I popped on the internet and I am NOT imagining this to be true. This article: http://juno-books.com/blog/?p=410 outlines how it was around 2005 that the term "urban fantasy" came into general use for stories of this nature. Prior to that, "paranormal romance" was the keyword...which so did not fit Wolfhunter. NO NO NO this is NOT a FREAKING ROMANCE though it does have a romance story entwined within. This huge roadblock of a term, paranormal-romance, was a real stumbler for me. I had nowhere to go with Wolfhunter back then. The Wrong People wanted me to delete all the elements that make me love it, just to fit under the paranormal romance definition...and I could not, would not, did not. Geesh.
It is all so clear now.
3) Now, in this context: Contemporary, urban setting with female or male
protagonist with “kickassitude” and supernatural powers or connection. Primarily
an detective plot with sexy romance subplot. Action-oriented with strong
horrific elements balanced with humor. (Some add “first-person narrative”, but I feel that restricts the definition too far.)
Yup, that is Wolfhunter. And in first person, too. Which y'all know I adore beyond reason, cuz my brain works best that way.
So much has happened and evolved with the fantasy genre over the past years that there are alot of reasons to continue this.
Plus, I just love the characters. Sorin the shapeshifting Wolfhound (grin), Keri, the POV character, her brother Julian who is partners with her work partner Daniel, Jackson--suddenly 'autistic' at age 16 (he and Julian are 26 now) though that makes no sense at all, and Luke, the angry 16 year old. And Linda the neighbor with her orchards, Keri's friend the vet who discovers that wolfhound has a leetle bit o'difference to him... Damn. What a lose am I to have given all that up because I let myself be led to believe by...
That doesn't matter anymore, it just doesn't. So Wolfhunter it is for my first fic for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
getyourwordsout. Don't know what that is? Check it out!
C
To B&N this morning!
Meeting Anthony shortly for a few hours before he heads for Houston. Anthony should come by once a month, I think, for writing sessions, though they tend to be more talk sessions than writing.
But last night was productive...more than Anthony probably realizes. And I appreciate what he said (even if he doesn't realize what he said). LOL. Basically, he pointed out how in the past I've always been so bouncy whenever I talked of WOLFHUNTER.
Mind you, this story has been around a good, let's see...7 years. SEVEN YEARS! I have 3-4 different versions of it. Why? Because I let The Wrong People Crit It and Nearly Ruin It.
Linda might not remember this, but in 2006(!!!!) she sent me back the original version I had written, and lost, due to computer death. She had it in her email.
That is the version I am going with. Which, amazingly enough--was the Pre-Them version, the original, the first, the first person version, the... Well, you get the picture.
I just sat and reread the almost 8,000 words I had on this, and yeah I see now--CAN see now--some problems, but all in all, as I told Anthony, I want to bitch-slap myself so hard for giving up on this.
And yet...seven years ago, there wasn't a healthy market for this type of story.
EDITED TO ADD: In fact, I popped on the internet and I am NOT imagining this to be true. This article: http://juno-books.com/blog/?p=410 outlines how it was around 2005 that the term "urban fantasy" came into general use for stories of this nature. Prior to that, "paranormal romance" was the keyword...which so did not fit Wolfhunter. NO NO NO this is NOT a FREAKING ROMANCE though it does have a romance story entwined within. This huge roadblock of a term, paranormal-romance, was a real stumbler for me. I had nowhere to go with Wolfhunter back then. The Wrong People wanted me to delete all the elements that make me love it, just to fit under the paranormal romance definition...and I could not, would not, did not. Geesh.
It is all so clear now.
3) Now, in this context: Contemporary, urban setting with female or male
protagonist with “kickassitude” and supernatural powers or connection. Primarily
an detective plot with sexy romance subplot. Action-oriented with strong
horrific elements balanced with humor. (Some add “first-person narrative”, but I feel that restricts the definition too far.)
Yup, that is Wolfhunter. And in first person, too. Which y'all know I adore beyond reason, cuz my brain works best that way.
So much has happened and evolved with the fantasy genre over the past years that there are alot of reasons to continue this.
Plus, I just love the characters. Sorin the shapeshifting Wolfhound (grin), Keri, the POV character, her brother Julian who is partners with her work partner Daniel, Jackson--suddenly 'autistic' at age 16 (he and Julian are 26 now) though that makes no sense at all, and Luke, the angry 16 year old. And Linda the neighbor with her orchards, Keri's friend the vet who discovers that wolfhound has a leetle bit o'difference to him... Damn. What a lose am I to have given all that up because I let myself be led to believe by...
That doesn't matter anymore, it just doesn't. So Wolfhunter it is for my first fic for
getyourwordsout. Don't know what that is? Check it out!C
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 05:53 pm (UTC)I can't wait to read it!
There may even be a sequel! ;)
Woo!
*calms down now* :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:19 pm (UTC)This is all the more fun now actually, the character named after you...because hey, I can have her having moved back to Durango after years and years, back to the old family place which needs a hell of a lot of fixing up... :) Inspiration!!!!
One thing I am not going to do. Outline. At least not extensive outline. I know what the mystery part is about already--always have known--but seat of the pants is how this one is going to go otherwise.
I do have some details to hammer down, but am going to make a list of those, ponder them, then go onward.
Anthony just arrived and is getting himself munchies. I have to pick up the boy and take him home and then it is back again until Anthony decides he is ready to hit the road, but I may just stay here awhile later. I get nothing done at home, you know?
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:22 pm (UTC)Give Anthony a hug for me if you see this in time. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 08:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 09:05 pm (UTC)AND I AM NOT SHIFTY!
Growl.
LOL.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 09:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 07:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 08:33 pm (UTC)I did not tell her to use a 2x4. 0.o
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 08:43 pm (UTC)Better keep an eye on her then.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 08:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 06:43 pm (UTC)Am so glad em and sop decided to do that comm. It has put fire in me like nothing other.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 07:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-15 06:14 pm (UTC)But, I have legit reasons for being 'out of it' the past few years...and not following any markets.
I am now though...
WOOOO!!!! Woo.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-14 07:56 pm (UTC)And hey, two years, seven years .... Ambergrin's going on 10 all told, so you're still more motivated than me!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-15 06:15 pm (UTC)Well, you've done nothing but grown as a writer during all that time, right? Exactly. So when you finish in 2009, you'll be proud of that fact.
COLD AGAIN!
it was beautiful here yesterday just for you. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-16 12:48 am (UTC)If you count from when I shared it with my writers group and they said "finish this or we'll kill you," then it's been about 5 years I think.
I'd like to think I've grown as a writer since then ... but I think that's more in the eyes of the beholder than it is in my own tainted and largely self-critical eyes.
It's cold down here in Houston too ... it seems like when I leave someplace, the temps drop (arcane_legacy said the same thing happened the day after I left Omaha). Hmmm ....