The sun sets on another day…
Sunset was lost in the clouds again but I enjoyed the occasional crack and the slivers of light as they made their way to the ground. Even in the darkest times sometimes you get lucky and get a sliver of light.
Today I spent the day at an author Fair. I enjoy author fairs because authors spend their time turning their imagination into someone else’s escape, get away, or enlightenment. I said to many people today “thank you for being here at this author fair where the imagination of an author is turned into a reality for each of you”.
As I talked to all those different people I considered changes to my approach to my books. Often I try to explain pieces of the story without giving the story away too much. Telling someone that my books are about an ex assassin just trying to retire sounds a lot like many other books and many other movies. They are not. So I tried several times today to start by saying my books are about some very well trained and disciplined people that are put in complex situations and have to find ways of overcoming them. I’m not sure if this is the best approach but I got people to talk.
In several discussions (Just random, no particular time) I have discussed shows like The Walking Dead. People who have not seen that show assume the show is about zombies. you know the zombie takeover of the world and people try to kill them or get eaten. In actuality that show is about a series of survivors that are put in a very complex situations and find ways to overcome them.
I will modify my way of approaching describing my books based on today. I’m sure as I begin another series I will have to modify the way I approach that as well because books are about a story that the reader wants to be a part of but they are a;so about characters and the development of those characters into people that readers can relate with.
My characters are not based on any person in particular. I get that question a lot. My characters are instead based on the type of people I think could do well and achieve results in the situations my story creates. I have the planner thinker Alex. the strong fighter who is pushing for action in Rachel. The conflicted fighter it wants to take it easy and make a laugh out of everything in Jim. The positive yet naive follower in Ronnie. The loving girlfriend who is the Spitfire on her own in Abby. The complex killer with no conscience or remorse but mountains of passion and love for Abby in Michael. These characters and many more align themselves for positive results and face negativity all the time.
Yes I have been talking a lot about my writing. It is not about my writing that I need to focus but instead about how people deal with complexities. I met people today that were shy introverts or amazing extroverts. No one is bad as me though. I met people that were engaged and I met people that were disengaged with the world around them. The more I discussed random thoughts with people the more I realized that authored books are merely an expression of life and that no two were exactly alike. Instead people were a powerful motivator. Perhaps people put in situations become just like characters in a book driven by more and empowered by everything. Perhaps books are often a shadowy reflection of the world around us. It is something to consider.
So as the sun sets on another day, I stand In awe at all the characters that live before me. Not in my books but all around and I learn from each and every one of them. I am hopeful that as I pay attention and as I learn that at some point I will see more fun characters and make their essence real in my novels and my writing. I hope if you read my books did you enjoy them but more I hope that everyday you see the people around you and are at least a little amazed at all that is before us. See people and engage and become a part of this wonderful world no matter what.
Sleep sweet, love life, keep on reading…