Book Talk with Lynda: Special Guest Darrell Haemer

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Lynda: Hey Darrell, I found you some walkin’ music for when you’re telling the big crowds about your book! Can you believe Aretha Franklin—the Queen of Soul, Darrell!—sang about this before you were even born? She knew you’d need a theme song. [Sings loudly while beckoning Darrell to the kitchen table.] Chan-chan-chaaaaaaannnnngggggge, changin’ fools! Chan-chan-chayayayayayayannnggge, changin’ fools . . .

Darrell: [Moves his mouth but nothing comes out.]

Lynda: Whatever. I get that you might not be in a singing mood this early in the morning. Since you’re not a coffee drinker, I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so here’s a giant mug of Skittles. I’m not sure what the no-coffee people do in the mornings, but the artificial dyes alone in these babies should get you going. I made sure to give you the fifteen-ouncer—is that big enough?

Darrell: [Quietly sips his Skittles before answering.]

Lynda: I’m pretty excited to talk about your book, Changing Change, not just because I really liked it, but because it’s the first time I’ve discussed a nonfiction book on Book Talk. My love for The Chicago Manual of Style doesn’t count, of course. How does it feel to have written ONE WHOLE BOOK and released it into the wild? Or into the bookstores, anyway, which can be wild enough, depending on your introvert/extrovert balance.

Why, it's the book, of course.

Darrell: Well, first, thank you for inviting me on Book Talk; it’s a real honor! And on top of that, I’m excited to have authored the first nonfiction book on Book Talk as well! To answer your question, it feels exciting, surreal, unnerving, relieving, and proud to have written this book and released it into the wild. And I think “releasing it into the wild” is an excellent description, because for me anyway, that courage to put myself out there in the large public sphere was a tangible part of the overall challenge. It feels great though. I learned and grew so much throughout the process. I certainly have no regrets.

Lynda: It’s gotta be nerve-wracking to put so much of yourself into a book, and then allow total strangers to do what they will with it. Even when you know the content is good (and I know it’s good, because I’ve read it), there’s the statistical probability that not everyone out there is going to love it or resonate with it. But tell me, first things first: what made you decide one day, “I’m going to write a book”? Was it a single event, or a culmination of observations and changes in your own life?

Darrell and his lovely wife, Devon

Darrell: It was definitely a culmination of observations and changes in my own life. Through the process of writing this book, I realized I’ve been thinking about people’s resistance to change for over 10 years, and this is me finally putting some of that into words. However, I will also say that a single event (personal life-coaching that I received) did create a turning point for me that led me from thinking about writing a book to actually starting it.

Lynda: I love those moments when everything is suddenly clear, and the next portion of the path just opens right up. That’s when the words flow the best, I think. What do you think may surprise people who read this? Of course, I’m not going to tell you what surprised me the most until you share your thoughts, and then I’m going to do the “yeah, me too!” thing. But there was definitely something that really struck me on each read-through—a moment where I just thought, Wow. That’s absolutely true. I am friends with a genius! 

Darrell: [Laughs awkwardly while contemplating how to respond to . . . all that.] That’s a tricky one. I think this book holds a few surprises in store. Some people may be surprised at just how simple and fundamental change is once we get it down to the basics. Change has been defined as such a complicated, scary mess that many people may have no inkling that it’s one of the most basic concepts of life as we know it. On a “more practical” level, I think the relationship between change and our work, and particularly the work of leadership, might shock some people. We have definitely compartmentalized change in the work world to specific areas like entrepreneurs, change management, aggressive companies, and innovation, but change is a central part of everyone’s work. I’m sure some people won’t be able to believe their eyes when they first read that.

Lynda: YES! All that and more. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I really was inspired to . . . uh . . . change . . . the way I think about change. The way I respond to it, as well as the way I anticipate what it’s “supposed” to mean. And to remember that it’s everywhere—change is not lurking around the corner, waiting for a new boss, or a life crisis, or anything else. It just IS.

I think you’ve provided a really thorough roadmap as the book goes along. You talk about what change is, what it isn’t, what it should be, and how it’s perceived. And you give a lot of good talking points along the way. Being a thinker type of person, have you found yourself consciously pondering more often after working on the book for so many months? Or is it such a natural action for you that you don’t notice it anymore?

Darrell: I feel more conscious of change now after having written the book, and I’m still thinking and learning about change every day. I suppose in one sense, I can say yes, pondering change is natural for me, and therefore, I may not “notice” it, just like you might not notice the way you fold (or don’t fold) your socks; it’s just what you do naturally. On the other hand, analytical thought (including the topic of change) is important to me on a professional level, so I’m pretty intentional about investing time and energy into that work.

Lynda: Which is why the book packs such a wallop, in my opinion. It’s not some gimmicky Five Steps to Success, as you pointed out in the introduction. You actually take the time to make sure the reader understands why we currently view change the way we do before you show us the big and small ways we can adjust our thinking and actions.

So if there’s one message you’d like people to take away from this book (other than LISTEN TO ME, PEOPLE, BECAUSE I TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE THIS DOWN FOR YOU), what would make you say, “Ahh, this person really gets it. Thank goodness,” when all is said and done?

Darrell: If I can choose only one message I’d like people to take away, it would be that change is not “the problem.” Change is not the villain we have made it out to be. It’s all a big misunderstanding! Ha ha. I think if a person comes away truly believing that, they’ll begin to see the positive effect of that in their life. That’s my hope for everyone who reads this book.

Lynda: So essentially, change is telling us, “It’s not me, it’s you.” Way to toss things on their head, Change. Thanks a lot. 

You can find Darrell in a variety of places! Unfortunately, that’s stalking. But there are legit places to find him, so here are the ones I can tell you about:

Well, let’s see here . . .

Amazon: Buy the book here!

Facebook: Haemer Consulting

Proximity: https://proximityerie.com/

Author website: Darrell Haemer

LinkedIn: Darrell Haemer

Book Talk with Lynda: Special Guest J.T. Buckley

It’s been a while since I had a guest over. Part of the reason is that summers are busy for everyone. The main reason, though, was that S.K. Anthony (our dear Kat) took my carafe last time she was here, and it took me a while to get a replacement. Did you know it’s not safe to just put your face underneath the pot while it’s brewing? Me either. I scoured that instruction book from front to back and there was NO warning about it. Of all the dumb information that’s in there, you’d think they’d consider putting in something useful.

But hey, I’ve invited J.T. Buckley over today, and not only does he like coffee—and he’s a registered nurse, so any burn-related issues can be taken care of swiftly—but he’s an author.

So welcome to my kitchen, J.T.! [Pours a large mug of coffee, sits down, remembers guests should be served first, and reluctantly pushes favorite mug across the table. Heads off to find second-favorite mug.]

JT: Lynda, come back to the table—I brought my own cup. [Pulls a large mug from his bag that says “I am a writer I tell lies to people for money” and pours himself a cup while pushing the other one back. While her back is turned, he pulls out his Chicago Manual of Style and sets it on the side of the table.] I want to thank you for having me over. Your house is quite lovely, although not as I pictured it . . . Oh yeah—brought you presents! Here’s a coffee cup from Florida, and a new carafe for your coffee pot. With S.K. coming by, it never hurts to have a spare.

Lynda: Thank you so much! A person can never have too many coffee cups, I always say! And gosh, the carafe . . . you’re right. Having a spare is a great idea. And I’m really glad you could come up from Florida on short notice. The grape smell in my backyard will hopefully make up for any disruption to your schedule.

JT: Hey, it’s no problem, we have a hurricane passing close, so there’s less rain this way. The grape smell is quite nice. That reminds me. [Pulls a bag from the other one.] Fat-free muffins. No frowning until you taste them. I hope you have grape jelly.

Lynda: Muffins are muffins. If you brought one of your creations, I’ll eat them. [Spots the Chicago Manual of Style.] You brought your copy! Let me get mine so we have some great decor while we talk. I really feel like that lends some class to the atmosphere. [Grabs her own copy.] CHEERS! [They clink books high in the air and settle in.]

So. You have a couple published books under your belt, and I know what you have coming up for release soon, so you know I have to ask you: you don’t seem to stick to one genre. Do you actually have a favorite, or do you write what the voices in your head tell you to write, and don’t argue with them?

JT: Well, if I had to pick, my heart is in science fiction and fantasy. Authors like Heinlein, Clarke, Norton are who gave me the desire to write. Then of course I was a role player from way back, so those two genres are well represented in role playing games.

Lynda: Working with science fiction authors opened my eyes to the RPG factor. Many of them use a lot of those elements to determine what comes next in a space battle, or an action scene: a roll of the dice will tell whether you’re hit by a photon torpedo or you have an engine down, for example. I think a lot of it (role playing) prepares you for the “what if” factor that’s needed when writing sci fi.

JT: Urban fantasy is a new love; books like Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality brought me into that genre. So the Terra Rising series is a work of passion for me. I was tired of all the whiny dystopian society SF out there so I decided to create a space opera series with happy endings. But the voices do control what I am working on at the time.

Lynda: I like that Terra Rising has a happier tone to it. I don’t mind dystopian but I get a little irritated when every author of sci fi seems to think the future is all doom and gloom.

What prompted you to write Blood and Steel, then? It’s definitely not space opera. Trying to stretch your writing muscles? Something you couldn’t shake from your mind? A dare? Lose a bet?

JT: I hated the way vampires were portrayed and how inconsistent their concepts were. I knew that vampire novels were a fad, but I had a new thought about it. What if vampires were hidden among us? What if they were like regular people? What if they were treated as a minority that everyone was afraid of because they didn’t understand them, so they had to hide who they really were? Blood and Steel started out as a vampire-bashing story but turned into an urban fantasy with a romance subplot. Kind of the mortal-enemies-fall-in-love kind of thing. Then there is the internal conflict when Rick not only becomes a vampire but loses his identity at the same time. I also wanted to try something current day yet extraordinary. Voilá! Urban fantasy. It is also part of a bigger group of books I will be introducing in the near future … Plus as a history buff, I can weave my characters’ histories into past events.

Lynda: A lot of dark fiction writers get really ticked at monsters not being monstrous, like the “sparkly vampire” crowd. The idea is that if a character is scary enough to be a monster, then they should be more bad than good. I’m not sure what side of the fence I’m on where that’s concerned. I kind of like both ideas but not in the same book.

JT: I am not into the sparkly vampire crowd; my “good” vampires just want to be human again and my bad ones are definitely bad and create real monsters as is plain in Blood and Steel: Awakenings.

Lynda: Have you ever thought about combining genres to have a fantasy set in space? I’ve been reading lately about science fantasy, or space fantasy. It seems to blur the line, much like the Star Wars universe.

JT: Strangely enough, I actually do have a short story that is an idea start for something much bigger. Faster-than-light travel is facilitated by wormholes created by mages between areas of space. The story starts with a mage on his “final exam” and his professor dies in the middle of the transit and he has to take over. He successfully completes the transit but because of the microseconds of lost concentration between the two, the fabric of reality doesn’t close, generating a “tear” in reality. Magic is used throughout the ship with magic-augmented weapons, scrying navigators, etc. The story is going to be the mage trying to seal the rift caused by his dead master.

Lynda: Whoa. I really like that story idea! I’m partial to anything that messes with time/space and wormholes. I love the different ideas writers come up with for what could possibly happen (fictionally) in a black hole or a wormhole, or with the stretching of time’s fabric, so to speak. So please make sure I’m still your editor when it comes time to getting that story ready. I’d hate to miss out on seeing it before everyone else. I’m nosy that way.

I have to ask you this because everyone always wants to know these things. [Looks over at the cat, who blinks twice and avoids further eye contact.] Yes . . . um, everyone wants to know for sure. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser? Or a plantser? Or some other made-up name that still describes a combination of those two extremes?

JT: I am a combination. I write a skeleton story as my outline then flesh it out. So I guess I am a panlotser. Ha! Got that out without too much trouble. [Looks in his cup and frowns.]

Lynda: Got it. You wear lots of pants. I think. And you write while wearing them. That’s a good habit, you know. Not everyone gets it right. And it looks like you need more coffee, and I know I need another muffin, because I’m pretty sure fat-free means calorie-free, so I can have extra. And the coffee will taste better if it’s not lonely. [Fills both mugs and is astounded that JT’s mug actually holds 24 ounces of coffee with room to spare.]

So do you have a favorite part of the process that you’d consider your sweet spot? Some people hate rewrites and others love them. Some like the concept portion but hate the execution of it. Others are happiest when they send it off to someone else.

JT: I love the whole process of creation and writing until after the second rewrite, then it becomes a drudge until it comes back from you and I get to go over it with fresh eyes. Then it becomes a pleasure again. So I guess the main writing part and the first pass with the finalizing are my favorites. Does that make sense? This is really good coffee—does AndyAndy like it?

Lynda: AndyAndy would love it if he hadn’t had to go to rehab and swear off the stuff. He had a lot of chill-out time with catnip therapy that helped him get back on track. Now the coffee is all mine. I mean, ours. For today, anyway, and then it’s back to being mine.

I recently found a quote about the whole writing/editing process by Samuel S. Vaughan:

“Why isn’t the manuscript ready? Because every book is more work than anyone intended . . . By the middle of the writing, the book has become, for the author, a hate object. For the editor, in the middle of editing, it has become a two-ton concrete necklace. However, both author and editor will recover the gleam in their eyes when the work is completed, and see the book as the masterwork it really is.”

It describes so well what I’ve heard authors mention. It also describes how I’ve felt on occasion when an edit is much more involved than I expected, or when a story has that “once through is enough” feeling but I still need to go through it a second time. Thankfully, those times are few. Over the years, the quality of the writing I’m willing to accept has gone up—I’m not so desperate for work that I’ll take anything and then be sorry I said yes. The result of taking the better-quality work is that I’m happier while I’m working. No one should ever dread working on a book.

JT: I am surprised you haven’t asked for my advice to new writers . . . well, since you didn’t ask, here it is anyway. Remember that a first draft’s job is to exist. Nothing else.

Lynda: I can’t believe I didn’t ask that either. I think I was distracted by the muffins, even though I’ve only eaten three of them. But I’m glad you remembered to give good advice anyway. So many newbies forget that the whole thing is one step at a time.

JT: And that is the key, one step at a time.

Lynda: So I know you have the next book in the Terra Rising series, Manifest Destiny, coming out, because I have the manuscript in my grubby mitts right now. What else do you have brewing for next year? I know you writer types always have at least three books going on in your brains, even if only one is actively getting written.

JT: Well, I have Blood and Steel 2 coming out in the winter, and the first book in my new fantasy series. It is called Feren: Rise of the Mage King . . . and several more are in the works but they are top secret.

Lynda: Top secret stuff is always my favorite. I can't wait until I'm in the loop on those, too.

After J.T. leaves my kitchen, you can find him in a multitude of places. His house is one of them, but I won't give you the address because he's all out of muffins. Here are the other places to look:

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/jtbuckley
Facebook JT Buckley page: https://www.facebook.com/authorjtbuckley/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJTBuckley
Website: www.jtbuckley.com
Blog: www.jtbuckley.com/blog
Facebook Terra Rising page: https://www.facebook.com/bookTerraRising
Facebook Blood and Steel Series page:
https://www.facebook.com/Blood-and-Steel-773903689365731/

Book Talk with Lynda: Special Guest S.K. Anthony

Hey, everyone! It’s been way too long since I had a guest over for Book Talk, and there’s a really good reason for it. Actually, there are a couple good reasons, but the main one is because the book I wanted to talk about, the Book of All Books—yes, you all know it as The Chicago Manual of Style—released a new edition at the end of 2017!

I have to tell you, my heart went a-fluttering when I saw the 17th edition for sale. I sat on my back steps in the snow, waiting for the UPS guy to bring my Amazon box.

But—and I know you won’t believe this—I searched everywhere for someone who wanted to talk about it, and . . . well, you know how it is . . . everyone was busy with Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And New Year’s Eve. And then Valentine’s Day rolled around, and Easter, and—do you know how many people get swamped with having to shampoo their dogs or do their laundry and can’t spare the time to talk about the newest changes in CMOS? What on earth could possibly trump that kind of excitement, am I right?

So I decided to trick S.K. Anthony (Kat) by inviting her over for coffee (she'll do anything for coffee), and I left my beloved CMOS on the table. I know after her first sip she'll talk about anything, so here we are, having the time of our lives!

Kat: So, Lynda, I really appreciate you—

Lyn: Oh, I appreciate you too! [Grins.]

Kat: Umm . . . right. [Grins back uncertainly.] I mean, yes, of course! . . . but . . .  I also appreciate you having me over for coffee and book talk—oh, good God! Is this the book?

Lyn: YES! Isn’t it great?

Kat: [Wipes horrified look off her face.] Wow . . . I just have no words. Is there more coffee? I think I’m going to need more. I’m so . . . excited? I think that’s the word. What does the Chicago Manual say?

Lyn: [Pets the book lovingly.] Oh, pfft. What doesn’t it say? It’s . . . um . . . well, look how shiny it is! Isn’t it shiny?

Kat: It’s literally blinding me. It’s so shiny maybe it’s best you hold on to it and I’ll just ask you to check stuff for me. I have sensitive eyes, you know?

Lyn: Oh, I’m cool with holding on to it. I wouldn’t want to damage your vision. [Pulls book a little closer.]

Kat: Plus, it doesn’t seem like you’ll let go of it anyway . . . but since you have it and all, tell me—what’s new with this edition that has you so obsessed with it?

Lyn: There’s all kinds of exciting stuff! I can’t even list it all because you might be overwhelmed and then we’d run out of coffee. You seem to need extra today for whatever reason. But yeah, trust me. There’s STUFF. Lots of it. Like, did you know you didn’t need to put a comma after “etc.” anymore unless it’s confusing not to?

Kat: Oh my goodness! I didn’t know that. My only concern is I’m not sure when anything in that book isn’t confusing.

Lyn: But that’s why you have ME! I’m the queen of lack of confusion. Or something like that. The queen of . . . um . . . never mind, let me tell you some of the most exciting stuff. No longer will you have to capitalize the word “internet!” Did you hear that? I even said it without a capital letter.

Kat: That is such a time saver!!!

Lyn: And no more dumb hyphen in “email.”

Kat: Oh . . . I stopped that ages ago. But hey, is there any new rule that you felt happy they finally listened to you and made the change?

Lyn: I’d say getting rid of that hyphen and the capital “I” were more than enough to satisfy this gal. They even addressed the use of the plural “they” and “their” for singular stuff, but I’m still not keen on that. I’m sure I’ll get used to it. [Glares at the book, but only for a second.]

Kat: You have issues. I think it makes perfect sense to use “they” and “their” instead of he/she, or going back and forth too often between the two.

Lyn: I suppose you don’t want me to fan the pages so you can smell the new book smell, do you?

Kat: I was about to ask if you would . . . it might be the closest I get to it. You think the scent will upload any of the rules in my head?

Lyn: Definitely. It beats having to sleep with it under your pillow. [Fans pages front to back and then back to front. And then front to back again.]

Kat: Awesome. Hey, I had a question. Since all these books keep changing as the world progresses . . . or gets dumber, depending how you look at it, and none of them seem to agree on much and are based on preferences, why are they still so different? And why can’t they simplify things so years from now we won’t feel like idiots because we’ve used hyphens in “email” or capitalized the word “internet”?

Lyn: That’s an excellent question that I can actually answer. [Looks at CMOS for inspiration.] Something I’ve learned as I’ve mingled with my people, the editor-types, is that far from being the rigid taskmasters most people think we are, we are hyper-aware of language changes with each generation. It’s our job to know what’s new, when we should fight to keep it the same, and when we should chill the heck out and go with the flow. The goal of all the revisions—and it’s not just in CMOS, either . . . Merriam-Webster just announced a bunch of new words that are being added to the dictionary!! YAY!—ahem . . . the goal is to simplify the language and the process of editing it. Hopefully, each change makes things easier.

Kat: That’s all great from the perspective of editors, but again MLA, Chicago, and Associated Press are all different. I still think they should agree, for a couple of reasons. Naturally they’re all accepting  the new changes “we, the people” are asking for. So why not make them more simple?

Lyn: I have to say I agree with you: why does everyone have to have their own style guide? Why can’t newspapers and novels agree on whether or not to have spaces before and after an em dash? Or when to spell out numbers and when to use numerals? There’s really no good reason for some of these to be different.

Kat: My other reason, which is also another question for you: isn’t it possible the fact that they have made these rules so darn complex is exactly what is holding the rest of the world back from actually understanding and carrying out simple punctuation, spelling, etc? Like, maybe we’d make the world a little smarter if they didn’t make it all feel like we were working on nuclear physics?

Lyn: I love the idea that there are people who would rise to the occasion if the rules were not complex, but I think we both know we’ve seen enough oopses that already should be simple. Some people may never get it. And that’s okay, because maybe they’re terrific at other stuff. Like . . . I’ll never be a nuclear physicist, but doggone it, I can tell you when that apostrophe needs to GO.

Kat: Okay, but maybe that’s exactly because the language and its rules are so freaking confusing that even the style books can’t agree. [Evil laugh.] But also, I’m asking this and yet I know the truth: editors want to keep their jobs and so . . . they are all in cahoots to keep things the way they are.

Lyn: [Looks around nervously.] I’m not sure why you would even think that. Because that’s ridiculous. How would we—I mean, they—even manage that kind of thing?

Kat: By doing exactly what we’re talking about. And when we think, “Hey! I finally understand the hyphen rules!” they go and change the freaking thing.

Anyway, going back to things we see people not getting right . . . one of the things that get me, and I’m annoyed the rules have changed to accommodate it (yes, I’m on editors’ side here), is turning “all right” to “alright.” Are there any new changes that have also annoyed you?

Lyn: I can’t stand “alright” and will always change it. Always. And Merriam-Webster now lists “literally” to include the figurative sense. Seriously? It literally now means virtually.

Kat: WHAT?!?! Oh, my goodness, I had no idea. But “literally” means literally! I don’t know why this is making me feel sad, but I do. [Starts drinking straight out of the carafe.]

Lyn: I know. Makes me sick. Sick, I say. [Cradles CMOS a little tighter.] If literal is not literal, I don’t even know what this world is about anymore. At least they’re still taking the stance that irregardless, though a “real” word, is not accepted and not recommended.

Kat: I don’t know what to do with myself with “literally.” It’s throwing me for a loop and I can’t remember for the life of me what my other question was for you. I LITERALLY forgot. Not figuratively. Pffft.

Lyn: I’m literally sad with you. I think we need more—oh . . . looks like the coffee is . . . um . . . well, I can make another pot.

Kat: Oh, do you have another pot to use? You need to get your own. So I wanted to know, now that I’ve practiced a 30-second meditation session, what do you feel about the way social media is destroying proper grammar? If you could pick one thing for them to get right, what would it be? For me, it would be “their,” “they’re,” and “there.”

Lyn: Uggghhh, social media. If any of my other, non-editing, non-writer friends are reading this, please believe me when I say yet again that I do not waste my time critiquing your posts. If you’re not paying me, I try to shut that part of my brain off. However, if I could choose just one thing for the average person to get correct, it would be YOUR and YOU’RE. I’m not sure why that bothers me more than any other stuff, but there is something in me that snaps and makes a terribly unflattering judgment on people who misuse it.

Kat: YESSS! That’s another one that bothers me. I do have to say, I don’t mean family and friends, really . . . I was thinking more of the memes and pictures with captions that go viral and things of that nature.

Lyn: And that bums me out so much. There are some memes that would be hilarious, but they have a misspelling or bad grammar, and I just can’t “like” or share them. It’s the principle of the thing.

Kat: And I’ll sneak this in again . . . are you sure these people who are making the memes are not getting them right BECAUSE all the style guides are purposely confusing them? [Grins.]

Lyn: I’m not entirely sure. But I am certain that between Webster’s, Oxford, Chicago, Associated Press, and MLA, they ALL know how to use “you’re” properly.

Kat: That I agree with. I do wonder if the complexity of a few things makes them give up on learning everything. But that’s not our problem because you know your stuff and I know some stuff and we’re good in the CMOS’s eyes.

Lyn: [Sighs happily while petting the book again.] Yeah . . . and besides, if everyone gets grammatically smart all of a sudden, I’m out of a job.

Kat: Aha! That’s the conspiracy I was hinting at earlier. I knew I was right. And on that note— because it’s always good to stop when you find proof you’re right—I want to thank you for having me over and for my new personal coffee pot.

Lyn: If you allow me to have the . . . your . . . coffee pot back for a bit, I’ll brew us a fresh pot. What do you say?

Kat: No, I’m good. At this point I think I’m starting to have heartburn from all the coffee, but thanks for offering. You should get a Keurig for when you want some for yourself, though.

Lyn: I guess I’ll have to.

***

You can find S.K. Anthony at her own site, S.K. Anthony, where you can read all about her current series, The Luminaries, and find their Amazon links.

or

at Writers After Dark, where you can find everything writer-oriented, from podcasts to resources to just plain fun.

Follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more fun.

Book Talk with Lynda: Special Guest Brandon Ax

Hey, everyone! Today marks the beginning of something special, and I’m glad you’re here to share it. Back in the day when free time was in abundance (about three or four years ago), S.K. Anthony and I used to get together for coffee on a weekly basis and talk about all kinds of things bookish. Pure intellectual stuff, it was. Or something like that.

[Side note: If you ever have time—and brain cells—to kill, check out my Coffee Chat tab. But start at the beginning or it will never make any sense. Um . . . and starting with the first one doesn’t actually guarantee the subsequent ones will make sense, but it helps.]

Here I was, missing the days when S.K. used to break into my house (before she had her own key made), take over my kitchen, and chat with me awhile about everything relating to writing and reading. So I decided to invite someone over today to talk about book stuff. I thought about who would be too polite to say no, and chose Brandon Ax because he’s from the South, and we all know how polite southerners are. Right? Not only did he say yes (I knew it!) but he just so happens to have a new book coming out in a few days, so I won’t have to pull out my 3x5 index cards of Conversation Starters for Awkward Moments.

[Heads toward the kitchen.] Hmm . . . he’s actually waiting outside the door. How odd. I guess I’ll have to get used to guests waiting for me to let them into my house.

L: [Opens door to let him in.] Hey, Brandon! Welcome to the very first Book Talk with Lynda. Make yourself comfy and I’ll grab you a cup of coffee.

B: [Walks in and takes a seat at the table.] Oh thanks! Actually a glass of water would be great.

L: [Pours cup of coffee and plops it down in front of him.] Here you go! Drink up; I made plenty.

B: Um . . . thanks.

L: So hey, I’m pretty excited that the third book in your Light Bringer series is coming out on Monday. I’ve actually read it and I’m still excited because that means it’s official, and everyone else can enjoy it too. Are you feeling any sadness at saying goodbye to the characters?

B: [Nudges the coffee cup around.] There is a bit of sadness. Although who knows what the future holds. They have been a part of my life for so long I don’t know that I can truly stop telling stories about them. However, I am really excited about the things I am working on now. [Waits for Lynda to turn her attention to the oven, where something smells wonderful, and promptly pours coffee in the cat’s dish.]

L: I’m excited about homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast! They go so well with the coffee, and they’ll cheer up your sadness. [Hands over full plate.] So of course I have my favorite characters—seriously, Zander is my fave—but I loved the addition of new characters in Light Bringer. Some of them, I wanted to punch, but I’m sure you may have felt the same way. Have you ever had a bad-guy character where you were like, “Ooooooh, if you weren’t essential to the plot I would kill you so fast . . . better watch yourself, mister . . .”

B: [Takes a soft, warm roll from the plate and tries not to make too many “mmm” sounds as he bites in.] Well, I try not to write villains as much as antagonists. As such I get into their heads and find their motivation. In the end, although I don’t like the things they do, I understand where they are coming from. Having said that, there is a Weaver in the first book who made me contemplate interesting ways to kill a character. She was particularly vile and her motivations were pretty self-centered and obnoxious.  

L: She really was. I was hoping she’d get it good. And what if Lynn or Sidney or Connor or any of the gang starts talking to you again? Would this particular storyline continue somehow, or would you come from a completely different direction?

B: That’s the thing, right? They never really stop talking to me. There may or may not be a document. In this possible document, there may or may not be the beginnings of something. I will just have to wait and see what happens. I do have a prequel in the works mostly geared around Aiden. Also there are a few side characters in this last book who are screaming for a spin-off.  

L: What a tease. I would love any or all of those, so write as quickly and as often as you can. [Looks to the side as something whizzes by.] Whoa! Check out AndyAndy! I don't know what that's all about . . . that cat never moves that fast! But anyway, I know you're also an artist . . . does art have anything to do with what you're working on right now? And let me refill that coffee for you.

B: I'm really not that much of a—

L: Here you go! [Places a steaming mug in front of him.]

B: [Sighs.] Thanks . . .

L: So, those other interests and projects . . .?

B: [Watches the cat run laps around the table.] Yeah, I do a lot. I have always drawn, but I also love to paint and make clay figures. I have illustrated a book for someone and even dabble a bit in writing songs. Writing is my first love and will always win out, but I figured I could use some of those others here as well. So one thing I am doing as part of the giveaway is painting pictures so I can give away some prints. Would you like to see them? [Goes to grab another roll and promptly pours the coffee in a house plant.]

L: Are you kidding me? YES. I’ve seen some of your clay figures in the past, and think the book you illustrated has an adorable cover. Of course I’m a big fan of songwriting, too, and taking a peek at your paintings is naturally the next step. Doing a giveaway of the paintings is a phenomenal idea and I think your readers will really love it. What are you waiting for? Gosh, you’d think those two cups of coffee would have kicked in by now. Let me refill that cup while you grab your paintings.

B: But I—

L: Bottoms up, my man. [Lifts mug to “cheers” him.]

B: [Clinks mug in despair.] Thanks . . . Oh, by the way, can I have a glass of water, too? Because . . . coffee makes me . . . thirsty. Yeah, that’s it.

L: There you go. [Hands over a tall glass of water, almost dropping it as Brandon grabs frantically at it.] Hydration is the key, right?

B: Right!

 

L: Wow, these are great! Connor, Lynn, and Zander. But I thought you said you were bringing four with you.

B: I did. But now I can't— [Cuts off abruptly as AndyAndy races by with a painting in his mouth.] Never mind.

L: Uh . . . sorry.

B: [Sighs.] So I was thinking, it may be cool for people to read an excerpt from Light Bringer. I mean I wouldn’t want to spoil anything big, so some stuff may be redacted. In fact, it's in that file right behind you. [Waits for her to turn and pours full cup into her nearly empty one.]

L: That was . . .

B: Riveting—I know.

L: I’m still catching my breath.

So hey, everyone, I hope you enjoyed the very very VERY first Book Talk, with my special guest, Brandon Ax. And if you haven’t read Brandon’s first two books, Elemental and Ashes, then I have no idea what you’re waiting for, but you’re in for a treat when you do. Light Bringer will be released on Monday, September 25, so you will want to be caught up and ready to continue the adventure.

You can find Brandon at his website: Brandon Ax

At his blog: Writer's Storm

On Facebook: Brandon Ax: Author

On Twitter: @BrandonAx

And on Instagram: axbrandon

I’m here, of course, because it’s my blog and nobody invites me anywhere else. But you can also find me on my ERE Facebook page and on Instagram as easyreaderediting. Follow me to see what kinds of trouble I can manage on other social media (I post different things in different places), which basically means take your chances on being bored, or completely stunned and amazed.