Links to buy:
Nook
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Borders ebook:
Omnilit
Allromance
Fictionwise
Link to trailer (This is a trailer for my first two books)

“If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? ”
- Albert Einstein

Writers are liars. It’s true, and certainly not a new sentiment. We make shit up to entertain others.

And we are pretty good at it. I mean, get a bunch of urban fantasy writers in the same room and the discussions of vampire politics and the different strains of lycanthropy can become downright damn EPIC. We will sit and contemplate all things esoteric in our stories, dragging from the musty shelves of our inner library things we have read, both mythological, historical, and fictional. (Yes, I am aware that is actually three things and three things cannot be a ‘both’. Don’t get lippy.)

These nuggets of knowledge all blend together to make us experts on our own brand of supernatural as it applies to our story.

But we often try to do the same thing to the real world stuff, and that is where we fall down, scraping our metaphorical knees and making us walk with a metaphorical limp as we cry for our metaphorical mommy. (That is a whole lot of metaphor, but you catch my drift.)

This genre of urban fantasy is named such because we take that fantastical, supernatural, and theoretical element and shove it right into the modern reality of life. The rub between the two is part of what makes our fiction so good, but only if we write the ordinary world stuff as well as we write the supernatural stuff.

Here are some big things you should do in real life, if they apply to your story. This won’t be comprehensive, merely suggestive, but it should kickstart your critical eye as to places you may need to do real world research.

* Does your heroine (or anybody in your story) wear heels? If so, do you know how to walk/run/fight in them?

* Does your hero/heroine wear boots, combat or otherwise? Do you know how it is to walk/run/fight in them?

* Do any of your characters have any body piercing/tattoos? If so, for the love of all things holy, RESEARCH this. I have been a professional tattoo artist as my day job for over fifteen years. In all my years of reading urban fantasy where people have piercings or tattoos I have read only ONE proper take on it. Talk to an artist or a person who has what you want to write for your character.

* Are there guns used in your book? I bet there are. We love guns for our characters, but if you have never held or shot a gun, then you are getting it wrong. You are. You can’t help it. (Hey, one of my favorite authors, whose talent is far greater than mine, once wrote her character pulling back the hammer on her Glock. The only problem? Glocks do not have hammers. Nothing like a hammer. Nothing to pull back.) So go to a gun range, rent a gun, and shoot it. Or come to Atlanta, hit me up, and I will take you to the range and teach about shooting a gun. Oh, and count your bullets when writing. Guns only hold so many bullets and it drives me crazy to read writers going all Hollywood with guns that apparently never need reloading.

* Last, but not least, have you ever driven a car like that hotrod you gave your character? If not you need to find a car club and see if someone with a car like the one you wrote about will give you a research spin around the block.

Go out, live a bit like your characters, write it off as research, and have fun. It will make your writing better.

Until next time, write well.

James R. Tuck is the author of the Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter series. Book one, BLOOD AND BULLETS, will be available February 7, 2012 from Kensington Publishing and is available to for pre-order from Amazon.

http://www.jamesrtuck.com

Guest Writer Series: Carolyn Crane
The other day I was tweaking my long bio for my Amazon author page and I got to thinking, Wow, this is a really pathetic bio!! Oh, WHAT was I thinking?

Here, for your inspection:

Carolyn Crane began writing at age 7 with a poem about earthworms during a rainstorm, which she can still partially recite, but ONLY under dire threat.

[NOTE: who cares? And I opened with that? A childhood anecdote? In UF?]

Ever since then she’s dreamed of becoming a real author, scribbling on various fiction projects while working menial jobs, and later graduating to ad agencies and the freelance writing life.


[NOTE: Basically, I work hard at writing. Shouldn’t every author? And I have a job that relates to writing. Uh, the more I examine this, just…uh! This is not an interesting or cool bio!]

The trilogy that begins with Mind Games takes place in the fantastical Milwaukee/Chicago of her childhood imagination (she grew up in suburbs of both cities).

[NOTE: not terrible, but could be cooler]
Today she lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two daring cats, and when she’s not writing novels or day job stuff, she can be found reading in bed , running, helping animals, or eating Mexican food – or at www.authorcarolyncrane.com, along with sample chapters, contests and extras.

[NOTE:I guess some of this is okay. I mean, it’s true personal stuff. I think a bit of that is good.]

I’m so going to change it. Probably after I write this post. Versions of this are on my site, Goodreads, all over. Below is the short bio from the back of my book and the part of the Amazon page I can’t change until book #2:
“Carolyn Crane lives in Minneapolis with her handsome husband and two daring cats. She enjoys reading and running and loves animals of all kinds. For more than a decade she’s made her living as a freelance writer. This is her first novel.”
What in either of these bios would make a person go, wow, I would love to read a book by her?

What was I thinking?

So, I was casting around to look at other cool author bios to get inspiration, and I came across this fine article written by Barry Eisler on an author’s bio as part of an author’s marketing.

http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/2009/02/guest-blogger-barry-eisler-on-its-the-marketing-stupid.html

A bio is part of an author’s brand. It helps to sell the book. (If you’re unpublished, this is a good thing to consider for your query, too, on a small scale.)

You know what is really hilarious? Take a look – I’m actually a freelance advertising writer. Part of my job is to try to get companies to think about what their personality is, and why it makes them different and better, and I write their communications in a way where that shines through. That is my job, but I never applied it to my own author bio.

**headdesk**

There’s a reason for that, of course. In my mind, novel writing is my personal anti-advertising zone. In advertising, I’m strategic and goal oriented; in fiction, I get to play and be wild and free. In advertising, people tell me what project or concept to work on, and it pays the bills; in fiction, I decide what to write, and the money comes out to like 10 cents an hour, and then I turn around and spend it on promo. In advertising, I have a certain decorum. In fiction, I can swear and make up words and the only reason I’m creating it is for the enjoyment of myself and others. Advertising is a job; fiction is a labor of love, and never shall they meet.

Ooops.

So anyway, I am going to revise my bio. Being that this is a writer’s site, I thought I would share the way I’m planning on approaching it. Because a lot of people talk about keeping your author brand consistent across social media and all that, but what the hell IS your author brand? How do you determine it?

Below, I’ve modified my client branding questions to fit to an author bio project. Maybe somebody has already done this author bio/author brand discovery sort of thing, but I couldn’t find it. You don’t have to use every bit of material you generate here; this is more about getting pointed in the right direction.

The “don’t be pathetic like Carolyn Crane” author bio branding questionnaire.

1. Why are you the best person to write a book like this?
Do you have any insights, personality traits or life experiences that make you a natural in the world of (Urban Fantasy, mystery, writing about girls’ boarding schools or whatever.)

2. What do people tell you they like about your work? Your detailed knowledge of x?  passion for y? irreverence? your fun sense of humor? shocking crassness?  For example, (sorry to seem to toot my own horn, but I’m actually in this process now) people like the plotty inventiveness of my book, and I have always loved puzzles and psychological intrigue and the hidden workings of things. I wrote the book the way I did because I have a passion for that sort of thing. So I might try to work in an angle like that. It’s something about me that is relevant to why people might like the book.
3. What are 5 words you would want people to associate with you and your book?
This overlaps #1 and #2. Not like these words have to appear in your bio, but think of them as the fertilizer for it. For example, I even see some authors write really imaginative bios, like, raised in the woods by wolves, etc. This tells me the author is fun and creative, without the author actually saying “I’m fun and creative,” which would be a boorish thing to do.

4. Realizations, inspirations, defining moments:
If you look around, a lot of companies have a little story they tell. The founders of Caribou coffee were inspired by a hike in Alaska. Another client of mine woke up in the hospital and decided quit her job and start her own business in what she loves. Another made and lost fortunes two times over and now he coaches CEOs through crises. A little anecdote like that would work for a writer, too. (Of course, a lot of companies make theirs up. Don’t make yours up, though.) I don’t actually have a defining moment. I’m pretty boring.

Hopefully this article has been helpful to avoid the sort of bio I wrote above.
Does anybody have any other bio writing and branding hints? Feel free to leave them!!

***

Thanks Brandon for hosting me today on UrbanFantasyWriters.com.

Let’s talk a little about your urban fantasy characters today and why some are one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

Have you ever read a review where the reviewer points to *shallow* characters in the novel? I know I have, and that’s why I feel it’s so important for writers to allot their characters depth. So what is depth, and what do you mean by “dimensional” characters?

I think it’s crucial that readers understand who the characters are; what makes them tic, and particularly what the character’s identifying features are? I’m not necessarily talking about physical features, but consistency and manner of speech, body language and internal thoughts on how he/she views the world. A character is not merely a gorgeous person with eyes of blue.   He/she is a composition of many events that has made him/her what they are today.

Their emotions are multifaceted and often conflicting. They could come from troubled backgrounds or perhaps were born with silver spoons in their mouths. Whatever the case, in order for readers to understand and relate to your characters, writers need to delve into their history to make them like able and real (or not so like able in the villain’s case). It’s also important the readers believe (and can picture) the character existing before your story even began, thus the history.

Shallow characters (one-dimensional) have no real story, no identifying aspects to their personality. They’re merely walk-ons in your novel and won’t make lasting impressions. Readers will soon get bored with reading about someone they can’t identify with or like, and will no doubt put the book down. This, of course, is the last thing you want them to do.

Two-dimensional characters might have one identifying trait or a smidgen of history, but why stop there? Write your characters as if they are a person you’d love to know, in fact, you’re so fascinated by their thoughts about life, their opinions, you long to know everything about them, including their past.

If your hero or heroine lacks depth or dimension, reviewers/readers might refer to them as *cardboard characters* another term you want to avoid at all costs. This means they’re typical ordinary, forgettable people or par for the course in motives and goals. While writing about them, you might have hinted about a like or dislike they possess, but there you stopped, leaving the thought underdeveloped without explaining why they dislike the color purple or why the adore women in hats.  What’s the history behind their abhorrence, fetish or passion?

One of the great things about writing is that you, the author, have control over the portrayals of your characters. Make them larger than life; exaggerate their habits, annoyances, likes and dislikes. Make every aspect about them memorable in the reader’s mind.

Here’s a very short example of revealing something about the character’s background by subtly weaving it into dialogue. This is from my series, Crossroads and is contained in Crossroads Revisited (Phaze Publishing:  http://tinyurl.com/yh4r9q4 )

Here, one of the main characters, Rand, is having a conversation with his college professor about his lack of attentiveness in class.   We learn that Rand’s dependence on his older lover, Frank McGuire, stems at least in part because he misses his father.

The professor’s tone softened. “Does your mother have a husband, Mr. Brennan?   Perhaps I should speak to your father about your latent distractions and boredom in class.  I’m certain he’d want to know how his money is being frittered away.”

“Not anymore.” Flashbacks of Rand’s father rose behind his eyelids and tears surfaced. He fought them back and looked into Professor McBride’s eyes. “He died about six years ago, shot during a bank robbery.”

The man stilled and studied him.

You won’t regret giving your urban fantasy characters three-dimensions to their personalities.

There are many interesting articles on the Internet about constructing bios for your characters.   Do a Google search for ‘Writing Character Bios’ for your stories and you’ll see how helpful this process is.

Keta’s latest release is The Sin Eater’s Prince, a male/male/vampire novel set in historical Wales. You can find out more about The Sin Eater’s Prince here: http://www.ravenousromance.com

Keta’s newsletter- Keta gives away three FREE books every month. Sign up here: http://www.ketadiablo.com

About The Sin Eater’s Prince:
Owen Rhys, the sin eater of his village in Wales, has been shunned by the local villagers his entire life–except by Andras Maddock, the local physician. In love with the one man he thinks will never return that love, Owen is shocked when Andras saves him from death at the hands of a vampire and admits he cares deeply for Owen. Dagan, son of Traherne, the vampire Andras killed to save Owen, will stop at nothing to avenge his father’s death and obtain the Prince of Wales’s mystic sword from Andras. The divine claymore holds the power to grant immunity from the sun’s harsh rays—the one exemption the dark Lords of the Underworld has sought for centuries. Star-crossed love, sorcery, and bloodlust collide on a vengeful path where only one side can remain victorious. Revenge and redemption. Dark versus light. Good versus evil. The Sin Eater’s Prince. Watch the video trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h46kQK9a6k And . . . read a sample chapter of The Sin Eater’s Prince here: http://www.freado.com/users/3290/Keta-Diablo

How to do it wrong

Something I love to read is a good, solid urban fantasy. I just love it. I kind of dabble with urban fantasy with my writing, but most of what could be called urban fantasy with my stuff would be a blend of urban, mixed with paranormal romance. I need my romance in there when I write-it just comes out now matter what.

When it comes to reading though, urban fantasy is one of my favorite genres, especially right now. There’s something about that mix of action, fantasy, intrigue, mystery…and often, the romance. *G* I don’t know if I could really tell anybody how to do an urban fantasy right, but I think I can tell you some ways to do it wrong.

Here are some tips, if you’re trying do it wrong.

Don’t make any sense
Even in a fictional world, some laws of logic should apply. Magic, to me, sounds like a form of energy. I go over to my light switch and flip it on and even though I don’t understand all the logistics, I know that energy is coming from somewhere. Magic should do the same. If you want to write urban fantasy wrong, make the hero or heroine’s magic come from absolutely nowhere, have no source.

Make it too easy
Two of the urban fantasy series I’m really in love with right now are the Kate Daniels books by Ilona Andrews and the Corine Solomon books by Ann Aguirre-although I’ve only read one of the Corine. Both of the heroines have a ‘magic’ of sorts, but they aren’t easy. They come with heavy costs to the users and they should. Magic, to me, doesn’t seem to work if it’s all nice and easy and everything gets tied up with a pretty little bow. So if you want to do it wrong, make the magic in your urban fantasy nice and easy, with no expense to user and no consequences, no costs, etc, etc etc.

Make something from nothing
Okay… I love the tv show CHARMED. I love it. I adore it. But if it had been an urban fantasy series I’d been reading? I probably would have dropped it after two chapters–right about when Prue put her hand on the bar in the very episode and said, “Now where’s the cream?” (or whatever the line was… Remember what I said about things making sense? Logic applying? You can’t create something from nothing and if your hero or heroine are going to suddenly have these massive, unique powers they never had before, the reasonings as to why need to make sense. Saying a little chant may not be enough. Picking up a charm in a little out of the shop may not be enough. So if you want to do it wrong, have your hero or heroine wake up one day, out of the blue and they now have the ability move things with their minds, jump tall buildings, create fire, etc, etc, etc.

Hitting the heat level ‘wrong’
Now while I do love a good, solid romance mixed with my urban fantasy… Kate and Curran by Ilona Andrews…(happy sigh), Cat and Bones by Jeaniene Frost…(happy sigh), and then Mercy and Adam and Anna and Charles by Patricia Briggs (happy, happy sigh), one thing that will knock me, a veteran romance and urban fantasy reader out of a book is a heavy-handed attempt at bringing some heat into a book. If it reads clumsy, chances are it felt clumsy to the writer…I would think. So here’s a tip…if romance just isn’t your thing, even though you hear it’s popular, one way to do it wrong is to try and force some heat into your story.

Using somebody else’s voice
At this point in time, almost every story has been told in some way, shape or form. The thing, though, the story hasn’t been told by you. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series have some basic things in common with quite a few stories–older man, younger woman, dangerous boy, innocent girl, vampire, innocent lamb. The stories have been told. They’ll be told again, and again.

The stories have been told, but they haven’t been told by you and that’s what can make your story unique. Each writer brings a different voice to the table and that’s what can make your story stand out. But if you want to do it wrong, try to copy somebody else’s voice, mimic their storyline, try to evoke the same response.

Make it too neat
One of the best things about urban fantasy is the potential for more books. Don’t tie up all the strings so tightly there is little or no room for more books in the future. So, as crazy as this sounds, if you really want to do it wrong, don’t leave readers begging for the next installment. Satisfy them in one quick gulp.

Nope, I can’t really tell anybody how to write an urban fantasy the right way, because the right way is going to be different for everybody. In the end, all writers have to find their own right way.

Shiloh Walker
http://shilohwalker.com