Aug04

Planning a Series

by Julie Particka on August 4th, 2011 at 12:18 am
Posted In: PRT, Writing Process

So, I got my first review in a big time magazine and had a moment of total happy swooning. Of course, then I had to go dig up the review and actually read it. It’s not a great review, but it’s not an awful review by any stretch. There is one thing I’ll definitely take from it to apply to book two (and three, four and five). The other thing that bothered the reviewer is both harder and easier to deal with. You see, when I planned the PRT as a series, it was just that…a series where each book is an individual story, but there is also an over-arching plot. Maybe I should have called it a pentology. (Is that even a word?)

Anyway, the gist is there were certain plot points that weren’t resolved. This is a very true fact. There’s a boy in book one who disappears, a girl who is a thorn in the heroine’s side, and there’s the white van of doom. (Yes, there’s also the thing with the Smiths.) All of those things/people have a small part to play in book one, but a larger part in one of the plots that reaches over the series. Through the course of the books, each will get dealt with a bit at a time within the confines of the main plot for each story.

And I’m willing to take a hit for not tying up all those loose ends because they were all part of the plan. (Okay, except the boy. I didn’t quite grasp what part he would play until I was working on edits. That’s when I realized how important he really was :P ).

The question is, as a new author, was this a fool-hardy plan? I’m asking readers to trust me and not just for one book. I’m asking for them to trust me in the driver’s seat for four books before I let them see in book 5 where we’ve been headed all along. As a reader, would you follow? And how much do you have to like a book to trust an author that much?

Inquiring minds staring book 2 in the face want to know :P

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And a huge thank you to RT for the review. I’m truly honored, and I hope you’ll consider following up with the sequels.

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Jul21

Characters You Love to Hate

by Julie Particka on July 21st, 2011 at 12:08 am
Posted In: PRT, Writing Process

Now to be fair, I can’t think of any main characters of mine that are universally hated, but in every novel that’s been in the hands of my betas, someone has inevitably said “I can’t stand ______.” In more than one case, the character whose name filled that blank was someone else’s favorite. The example of this that’s foremost in my mind right now is, of course, Cassidy.

Book 1 of the PRT series is told from Elle’s point-of-view, which means the reader gets to see Cass as Elle sees her. Sometimes that makes Cass look fabulous. Other times…it makes her look like a bitch. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on one half of that than the other, specifically the bitch half. I mean, Cass is beautiful, popular, arrogant and, more often than not, right. It’s easy to hate her.

Which became a big part of the challenge of book 2 since it’s from her point-of-view. She still has to retain all of those traits because they’re part of who she is, but there’s more to her than what’s on the surface. And, considering she’s a much more private person than Elle, those are the parts I had to dig deeper to find. When I was first drafting her novel, I would occasionally stop and write a little bit of her history–partly for readers (eventually) and partly for me to understand her better.

Now, I’m not one of those writers who thinks her characters are alive–at least not anywhere but inside my head–but in there, they are like real people. When I craft stories, I tend to “see” all of it happening inside my head, and one of the key things I saw when writing Pretty Souls was that Cass didn’t trust people. Specifically, Cass didn’t trust me (I know, I know, that seems contradictory to the “not real thing, but remember, we’re inside my skull right now. Nothing makes sense in there.) Even with the peeks into her past that I managed to tease out as I was drafting book 2, I still didn’t really “know” her. Cass isn’t a strong believer in “keep your friends close and you enemies closer”; she’s more of a “keep as far away from everyone as possible, then it doesn’t matter if they’re a friend or not” person.

Book 2 was first drafted a year and a half ago. And since then, I’ve let it sit. Instead of re-writing it, I’ve done interviews as Cass and Elle. I’ve written more flash and short stories about the girls. In short, I’ve gotten to know her better. And you know what?

She is a bitch.

But she’s also insanely loyal. And insecure. And obsessed.

In short, she’s not a horrible person…she’s normal, which is the one thing I never really saw her as when I looked at her through Elle’s eyes.

Book 2 was originally drafted with the title Partly Human. I never liked the title, but I couldn’t figure out quite why. Now that I know Cass better, I understand. The new working title of PRT 2 is Perfectly Human, and it fits both Cass and her story better than I could have hoped. You might still hate her when you’re done reading it, but even if that’s the case, I hope you understand her better. I know I do.

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Jul14

I Want a Time-Turner

by Julie Particka on July 14th, 2011 at 12:25 am
Posted In: PRT

No. I need a Time-Turner. Sadly, all my pleas to JK Rowling have gone unanswered.

You see, for those who didn’t know, there are two of me: the YA-writer me and the adult-writer me. It isn’t a secret, but I do try to keep the two separate as much as possible. Basically, I don’t want to get angry letters from parents of kids who accidentally pick up some of my adult stuff. Anyway, I’m running into my first real glitch in this “Two of Me” plan. I have sequels due from both of me.

On a high note, all the series I have out (as either of me) are limited-run. They all have a certain number of stories I plan to tell in those worlds. So, this won’t go on forever, but right now I have a draft of one adult story that isn’t ready to send yet (but at least it’s drafted), I’m working on a draft of book 2 for another series, and I have the PRT 2 re-write staring me in the face. I wanted all of that done by the end of summer. (Plus, there’s this other world that I’m dying to introduce people to.)

I don’t think it’s all going to happen by September first.

I write pretty fast. This past 12 months has seen more new fiction from me than I can shake a stick at. However, it’s been a travel-heavy summer and my trips thus far haven’t exactly encouraged writing. So, I’m behind by about a month on my schedule. Fortunately what I’m working on now is a novella, so (since I had a breakthrough last night) I’m hoping to have the draft done very soon. That’ll mean my betas can have it quick-like and I can send it off to my editor next month. But I’ll still be a month behind.

PRT 2.

Cass’s book is written. There is an old draft sitting here on my hard-drive. On the one hand, I could just send it in and hope my editor will help me fix all the issues with it. But I know it isn’t ready. I know the plot isn’t where it should be, and I understand Cassidy so much better now than I did when I drafted it (numerous flash-fiction pieces from her PoV helped). So even though it would mean it’s done quicker to send it now, I want to take the time to make it better first. I want my bad guy badder. I want Cass’s relationships more real. I want Cass more…Cass.

So, I’m putting myself on an official deadline publicly. I will have all of my sequels done (and hopefully submitted) before NaNoWriMo 2011. That gives me until Nov. 1 to finish everything including revisions. It’s not as soon as I’d hoped, but it’s more realistic. For those of you who have been waiting patiently for book 2, it is coming. I just want to make sure I’m not cheating Cass…or you (or myself for that matter).

However, if anyone can get their hands on that Time-Turner for me, I can probably get everything done faster.

Just saying.

Also, for those of you interested, I have a guest blog up at Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf today as part of the Decadent Publishing YA Blog Stomp. Remember, if you comment, you’re entered to win a book from that post, plus entered to win the big prizes at the end!

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Jul07

Ow…

by Julie Particka on July 7th, 2011 at 10:41 am
Posted In: PRT, Writing Process

This morning while making breakfast, I burned my thumb. As in burned it badly with a nice ugly piece of whitened and dead skin now (not a blister…think deeper). Anyway, the pain got me to thinking about things that hurt.

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am a klutz, which is pretty funny considering I was in dance for thirteen years, but it’s true. I’m well known for my ability to hit my head getting in and out of cars and run into doorjambs. My body is routinely covered in bruises that I have no clue how I got. I’ve had people look at some of my bruises (usually the big ones) and say “How the hell did that happen?” When I tell them I don’t know, they tend not to believe me.

But it’s true. Pain from hitting my head or burning my finger or any of the other numerous idiotic injuries goes away pretty fast. Right now my thumb still hurts, but by tomorrow, the pain will have faded, and by the weekend when that patch of skin starts doing weird things I’ll likely have to think in order to remember what I did to it. Those types of hurts are transitory.

It’s one reason I like characters that have uber-healing. I can knock them down, and werewolf or vamp powers will have them back on their feet and in fighting-form within hours (or if it’s really bad, days). It’s reality turned up a dozen notches, because physical pain isn’t the kind that really hurts us and forms our character. That’s done with emotional pain.

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As quickly as I can get over injuries (stupid or not), when other people hurt me it lasts a long time. My husband likes to joke that in some regards I have a mind like a steel trap, because there are things I can’t forget. It’s not that I don’t, I can’t. The boy who played the awful joke on me for Valentine’s Day in fourth grade? I remember. His name was Brian (I’ll withhold his last name because we’re grown-ups now and to release it would be petty.) and we were in Ms Korleski’s class. I sat on the far right-hand side of the room, second seat from the front. (See? I told you I remember :P )

Now that stupidity doesn’t “hurt” anymore, but it did shape me as a person for a while, and it’s quite possible it still does today. Brian took a hammer to my self-esteem that day and it’s been a long road to build it back up. (Some fabulous people in my life now are really helping–thanks, guys!) The first boy who broke my heart? The first friend who betrayed me? The one who turned her back on me over a guy? (Don’t get me started on the recent things.) All of those experiences had similar effects, and I could go into detail about how each one of them changed me.

That’s why, when I write supernatural characters, they might have ass-kickery down to a science, but they still have weaknesses–they’re just emotional ones. The death of Elle’s family at the claws of the very beast that now inhabits her, her view of herself as a monster, the thought that she can’t measure up to Cass…all of those things are emotionally driven. (Cass has similar problems, even if she does put on a good front.) Those are the things that when someone finds that button and pushes on it, Elle will crumble.

And for those of you who have read Pretty Souls, she has a new one now and the demon-spawn pushed it hard. It’s going to define her behavior over the next several books. Because being hit by a speeding car? That she can bounce back from. Heartbreak is another matter entirely.

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Jul04

Stomping Along…

by Julie Particka on July 4th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

When the Powers That Be at Decadent asked if I’d do a post for the YA Blog Stomp, I almost said no. I admit, I like sticking to my nice, safe, “blog on Thursdays” plan. Once a week. Consistency. After all, I need more consistency in my life.

Then I snapped out of it and reminded myself that while consistency is great, it’s also boring as hell.

So I said yes.

Now here I sit, stamping my feet and getting crabby at myself because I have no topic for my post. Actually, that’s a lie. It’s a pretty lie that I like to tell myself.

Truth is, I’m not irritated with myself because I don’t have a topic, I’m irritated with myself because I’m scared.

Every time I write a story, I’m putting myself out there to be judged, and I’m good with that. I can accept it. But blogging is more personal for me. It’s not introducing you to the characters I make up in my head, it’s letting you right into my head. And that scares the crap out of me.

At my core, I haven’t changed much since high school in that regard. I’m still the shy one. (All you people who know me and are laughing right now, stop it. You’ll understand in a minute.) I’m still the girl who’s afraid to put myself out there. The one who’d rather sit back and stay quiet than risk rejection.

As a writer, though, rejection is part of the game, and I’ve seen my share. At this point in my life, I’ve seen it in other parts of my life too. I like to think I cope with it better now, but reality isn’t so pretty. I just pretend better.

Heather and Me (Yes, I know I'm dating myself with this photo, but I don't care. See? This is me...being bold :P )

It’s sort of like the shy thing. In ninth grade, my friend Heather decided I needed to bust out of my shell, and she spent the next three years trying to push me to do it. Then came college and Heather wasn’t with me anymore. I was still naturally shy, but I’d seen the things that could happen if I stepped out and was bold. So, with no Heather around, I pushed myself. At this point in my life, I’ve spent a lot of years pushing, and most of the time it’s almost second-nature. (To the point that a lot of people would say I’m not shy at all, which is a testament to how well I faked them all out :P )

But sometimes, I go right back to being that girl who was terrified the cute boy in math would find out I’d been crushing on him for three years. Or the one who hides behind her textbook, studying, to avoid talking. Or who, like Elle, dresses to be invisible.

One of the reasons I like to write YA so much is that I still have those moments. Deep down, I’m still the shy, quiet girl I was then, and when I remember what it was like, every emotion from then comes rushing back. Hell, I’m married now with two kids, but at those times, I still feel more of a kinship with fifteen-year-olds than I do with people my own age. Because, you know, by now I should really be over all those insecurities.

But I’m not, and so I stomp my feet and dig in my heels and try to hide behind my book and disappear. Of course, the foot stomping not only draws attention to me, it also makes me feel like I’m six.

Sixteen was so much better than six.

And because of that, I eventually stop stomping my feet. I put on my biggest smile and force my way out of that shell I can’t seem to lose. It’s okay though. I’ve come to like the shell. It’s my connection to a part of my life a lot of people do their best to put in the past and forget.

Personally, I’d rather forget being six.

(Oh, and that boy from math class? He still doesn’t know. He might suspect, but I certainly never told him.)

So what about you? Is there a part of you that helps you connect to yourself at a younger age (even if it is six)?

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Commenters on today’s post are entered to win a Decadent title of their choice. In addition, all commenters will be entered into Decadent’s grand prize drawing. There’s some great stuff to win, so please enter today and enter often! Tomorrow night (July 6), Decadent is having a YA chat at 9pm eastern time at http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php . And then on Thursday, the stomp continues at Enduring Romance (http://enduringromance.blogspot.com/).

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