sazzle - Network

#WordWeavers Aug 23 — Would MCs think through difficult decisions themselves, consult with friends, or seek advice from an authority?Eerie...

#WordWeavers Aug 23 — Would MCs think through difficult decisions themselves, consult with friends, or seek advice from an authority?

Eerie tends to rely on his own judgement—skewed though it might be. He is learning to trust those closest to him, so may talk it through with Rowan, but he's almost certain to disregard what will probably be outlandish advice he could never hope to follow.

Caz would speak to his alpha if it was serious enough, otherwise, he'd go to Malaki and Marcus for help.

#WordWeavers Aug 15: Spoilers aside: What's the worst thing your MC has done?Caz lied to himself and his (then) boyfriend to start and...

#WordWeavers Aug 15: Spoilers aside: What's the worst thing your MC has done?

Caz lied to himself and his (then) boyfriend to start and continue a doomed relationship. Worse, he held Justin 100% responsible when it fell spectacularly apart.

He still doesn't accept the part he played in it.

#WritersCoffeeClub Aug 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?No. Not for writing the story.I...

#WritersCoffeeClub Aug 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?

No. Not for writing the story.
I do use AI in the sense of having Grammarly active while I'm editing.
But that can be as frustrating as it is useful. It keeps trying to suggest American spellings and I'm British, writing a story set in a fictional city in Britain.

#WordWeavers 29+30 July: Who would die first/last in a horror movie?If you were to ask my characters, Eerie would insist he'd be the...

#WordWeavers 29+30 July: Who would die first/last in a horror movie?

If you were to ask my characters, Eerie would insist he'd be the first to go. But, he's more resilient than he realises and, though he's no fighter, he's got people around who'd keep him alive.
The last standing would be Caz or Rowan. As a shifter, Caz can take down most nasties, and Rowan is just that stubborn and contrary. He would insist on the 'final boy' title and no one would be brave enough to challenge him for it.

#WritersCoffeeClub July 30: Back cover?Not got to the stage of writing a proper blurb yet. It's probably going to take me years to write...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 30: Back cover?

Not got to the stage of writing a proper blurb yet. It's probably going to take me years to write one that I'm happy with.
But, off the top of my head (and by that, I mean after an hour of dithering and cringing).
...

#WritersCoffeeClub 23 July: Does your WIP contain any subplots, perhaps between secondary characters?Not really. There are threads to...

#WritersCoffeeClub 23 July: Does your WIP contain any subplots, perhaps between secondary characters?

Not really. There are threads to possible future plots (in a new story). I can't stop my secondary characters from chirping in and wanting to set themselves up as the lead in their own right.

#WritersCoffeeClub July 22: Does your WIP contain humour, romance, or horror elements? What's the tone?Humour - Some silliness and...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 22:
Does your WIP contain humour, romance, or horror elements? What's the tone?

Humour - Some silliness and snarky comebacks that hopefully ease a little tension
Romance - Yes
Horror - Not really, more suspense and darker elements

A sweet, needy romance is hidden beneath the sex, scars, and drama. Finding family and an inner strength when both seem too far out of reach.

#WritersCoffeeClub July 19: Plot Reveal> What's the first big plot point? With or without spoilers.“I, uh… have a...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 19:
Plot Reveal> What's the first big plot point? With or without spoilers.

“I, uh… have a thing.”
Caz’s brow furrowed in confusion. “A thing?”
Hearing his warily amused tone, I sighed and scrunched up my nose. “You told me not to use ugly words to describe myself.”
“That’s right. So, tell me about this *thing* of yours, avoiding the word you were just thinking of."
He leaned back and offered a casual shrug. "Or, if it's easier, you could just show me."

#WritersCoffeeClub July 18: Does your MC meet another significant character? Share a snippet.😆 Not sure it would be much of a romance if...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 18: Does your MC meet another significant character? Share a snippet.

😆 Not sure it would be much of a romance if the MCs didn't ever meet, so yes... Eerie and Caz do meet each other and it is significant and a little embarrassing.

This snippet of their first meeting is not exactly first-date-worthy material.
Eerie is called in to speak to the owner of the club after a mishap with another dominant.
He is not expecting Caz.

#WritersCoffeeClub July 17: POVs?I'm currently redrafting from 3rd person to 1st. I'm new to writing 1st person, but it wasn't...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 17:

POVs?

I'm currently redrafting from 3rd person to 1st. I'm new to writing 1st person, but it wasn't working the way I wanted in 3rd. It's a lot of work and I wouldn't say I like the process, but now that I'm more than halfway through, I much prefer how it reads.
The POVs have stayed the same. I alternate between Caz and Eerie.
I am considering dipping into the antagonist's POV a few times to build tension. I'll have a play around with it and see.

#WritersCoffeeClub Jul 16. Is there an overriding theme to your WIP? What is it?I had to think about this as I don't start writing a...

#WritersCoffeeClub Jul 16. Is there an overriding theme to your WIP? What is it?

I had to think about this as I don't start writing a story with themes in mind. I don't know much more than who my main character will be and maybe a scene or two.

As I considered the sprawl of my WIP—currently being redrafted—there are several themes running through it.
At heart, though, the story is a romance and the overriding theme is love, regardless.

#WordWeavers 15: How clever are MCs?Eerie assumes he's dumb. Without Rowan, he's convinced he'd have died on the streets. That...

#WordWeavers 15: How clever are MCs?

Eerie assumes he's dumb. Without Rowan, he's convinced he'd have died on the streets.
That said, he managed to flee an abusive home and has carved a life for himself out of nothing. That's pretty damned clever.

Caz has money, a business degree, and owns 50% of a club. If that's how you want to define cleverness, he has it in spades. He's also emotionally intelligent and reads people well. That's partly down to his wolf senses giving him an edge.

#WordWeavers July 12: What's the earliest version of your stories you allow others to see?At this rate, it will be somewhere around...

#WordWeavers July 12: What's the earliest version of your stories you allow others to see?

At this rate, it will be somewhere around draft no. 305 😅

#WritersCoffeeClub 12th July: Do we learn the main plot within the first two chapters?Yes and no. We're introduced to both MCs, and the...

#WritersCoffeeClub 12th July: Do we learn the main plot within the first two chapters?

Yes and no.
We're introduced to both MCs, and the seeds of the main romance plot are sown by the end of Ch 2.
There's some insight into Eerie's back story in Ch 3, but the actual threat/protagonist plotline doesn't manifest on the page until much later.
I may need to add some earlier foreshadowing. There's a hint that Eerie is hiding from his past, but I don't know if I'm being too subtle about it.

#WordWeavers 11 SC POV: Tell us about a difficult decision you had to make.Rowan:I lied to E. It wasn't that hard, to be fair. It was a...

#WordWeavers 11 SC POV: Tell us about a difficult decision you had to make.

Rowan:
I lied to E. It wasn't that hard, to be fair. It was a teeny deception to get him to move in here. If I'd told the truth he would have stayed in the squat without me and been miserable. No-brainer, right?
What's a tiny fib between besties, anyway? It's not like I can't afford the rent on my own and he would have pulled that face of his—the one like a constipated, kicked puppy. No one needs to see that.

#WritersCoffeeClub 11 July: Introduce your main cast of characters.Caswell - Wolf shifter. Part owner of kink club. Hard on the outside,...

#WritersCoffeeClub 11 July: Introduce your main cast of characters.

Caswell - Wolf shifter. Part owner of kink club. Hard on the outside, squishy in the middle.
Eerie - Human. Trauma kitten. Stubborn. Learning to fly.
Rowan - Human. Eerie's ride-or-die. Brattastic.
Marcus - Human. Part owner of kink club. Sharp-tongued. Loyal. Small but mighty.
Malaki - Wolf shifter. Packmate. Afraid of commitment.
Caroline - Wolf shifter. Den mother. The heart.
Joseph - Wolf shifter. Pack alpha. Touchstone.

#WordWeavers July
10. What stays the same in every story you write?The type of love that, once found, makes you cling on with your...

#WordWeavers July
10. What stays the same in every story you write?

The type of love that, once found, makes you cling on with your fingernails.
An otherness that forges tight bonds and a sense of community.
The threat posed by the political and social status quo.
Power exchange.
High heat
Relationships between non-humans and human characters - mostly shifters right now, but I want to introduce others.

#WritersCoffeeClub Jul 10: Chapter 1: Do we meet any significant primary or secondary characters in the first chapter of your WIP? Who are...

#WritersCoffeeClub Jul 10: Chapter 1: Do we meet any significant primary or secondary characters in the first chapter of your WIP? Who are they? Share a snippet.

We don't meet Caz (MC) until Chapter 2. Chapter 1 introduces Eerie (MC) and his flatmate Rowan (SC).
The more I edit my WIP, the more I want to write a story about Ro. He's a darling.

This snippet is from Eerie's POV.

#WritersCoffeeClub July 8: I had to give Daniel credit. Even with abject fury leaking from every pore, the staccato rhythm of his voice...

#WritersCoffeeClub July 8:

I had to give Daniel credit. Even with abject fury leaking from every pore, the staccato rhythm of his voice never spiked into outright yelling. Not that I had any idea what the hell he was angry about, this time. In my experience, men like him always said one thing when they meant something completely different.
“Not like that; do it this way.”
“Why aren’t you listening?”
“Why aren’t you grateful?”
“You aren’t making an effort.”
“Do better.”
Blah, blah, blah.

#WordWeavers 8 Jul: Is there a person you'd love to show your writing to but are afraid to do it? Why?When my partner was reading House...

#WordWeavers 8 Jul: Is there a person you'd love to show your writing to but are afraid to do it? Why?

When my partner was reading House of Sky and Breath, he did more than a little eye-rolling and muttering about the extensive and plentiful sex scenes.
"We get it." "Do we need another whole chapter of sex?" "Can we get on with the story, please?" And so on...
I'm no Sarah J Mass, but my love of all things naked and messy on the page isn't what he wants in a book.
That puts me off sharing.