Character Quiz

In the mood for a little quiz? 

Pick your favorite characters from each pair:

1.      Claire or Brianna (Outlander)

2.      Hermione or Ginny (Harry Potter)

3.      Gale or Peeta (Hunger Games)

4.      Edward or Jacob (Twilight)

These are trick questions. I like all eight, and there are no right or wrong answers. They are all beloved characters from mega best-sellers. Claire and Brianna are mother and daughter. Both are fierce and make hard choices to live on their own terms. Hermione and Ginny are powerful witches. Without them, Harry would not have survived many of his challenges. Gale and Peeta both care for Katniss but in different ways. Edward and Jacob—well, who can choose between sparkles and fur?

As readers, I believe we identify with protagonists who embody the qualities we aspire to for ourselves, or who represent our highest and best selves. When they triumph, so do we. When they transform through their struggles, we believe we can do the same.

For me as an author, the best part of writing is creating characters, especially the ones I never planned or expected, who show up on the page seemingly from nowhere. They march in completely formed without conscious effort on my part. Meeting them is magical.

I had a great time with several of these when writing Siren Descending. The story is a contemporary retelling of Orpheus from Greek mythology. Athenia, a sea witch, must travel to Hades to rescue her lover, using only her song and her wits to try to succeed where Orpheus failed. Along the way, she encounters demons (bad and good), shades, goddesses, satyrs, and a harpy.

Today we refer to a foul-tempered woman as a harpy. The term comes from Greek mythology. Harpies were a combination of bird and woman. Sometimes they were beautiful, sometimes disgusting monsters.

The harpy in this story is a woman with wings. She has claws and talons instead of fingernails and toenails. Her voice is a screech that grates the nerves. The worst thing about her is she stinks. She does not just smell bad. She reeks. The miasma precedes her before anyone sees or hears her coming.  It is so horrible, the other creatures in hell will not sit near her.

However, she plays a crucial role in Athenia’s development as a person who learns power is not the answer. As Athenia develops compassion for a creature despised even by the denizens of the underworld, she evolves into the person she needs to be to save her soulmate and her own soul.

Here is an excerpt from Siren Descending which includes the harpy:

When Gelion appeared, Athenia didn’t stand or try to defy him. Utterly defeated, she sat staring dully at the ground with bowed head. “Go ahead and take my soul. This is the fate I deserve.”

Gelion took her hands and eased her to her feet. “Don’t look so dejected, my dear. Hell won’t be as bad as you think.”

Forcing words through her aching throat, she asked, “Will you let Thorne go? That will make this whole debacle bearable for me. I would…” Sagging, she wrapped her arms around her middle. After a second, though, she stood tall. “I would cooperate. Otherwise, I’ll resist every single thing you ask me to do with every fiber of my being.”

“Hmm…it would be much easier for me if you’d go along willingly with what I ask. Also, I like you better proud and feisty, but you’re too intelligent. Without Thorne to keep you here, I’m afraid you’ll figure out a way to escape.”

Though weary, she forced her expression into a fierce frown. “I promise I won’t try to leave if you let him go. If you don’t, I’ll spend every second plotting a breakout.”

Gelion pursed his lips. “I’ll think about your request. In the meantime, sing me the same siren song you gifted me before. I loved that sound. So did all the denizens of my kingdom. Such a peaceful day. No revolts or assaults. Almost Heaven.” He smirked.

Smart ass. “All right.” Imbuing her melody with every ounce of enchantment she possessed, she sang. A moving enough aria might convince him to let Thorne go.

With arms folded, Gelion leaned against a rock. As before, many of Hell’s creatures ventured out as she sang.

On his short bulldog legs Cerberus padded from a cave.

Her pulse flaring, Athenia eyed him until he whined and lay down.

Demons, which looked almost human until she noticed their clawed feet, slunk from behind rocks and sat in front of her, forming a bizarre but attentive audience.

Shades gathered at the back of the crowd, the spirits of the dead so transparent they were little more than outlines. She craned her neck, trying to find Thorne, but didn’t see him.

From above, Satyrs on their nimble cloven hooves picked their way down toward her. Short horns poked from thick, shoulder-length hair. Their upper bodies, male and of human form, were muscled and taut. If not for their goat-like lower halves, they might be romance novel cover models.

Preceded by a foul odor, the harpy flew to the clearing and landed. Every being there moved as far away as possible. Some gagged.

The hybrid didn’t appear to notice.

I’ll bet it does care though. And I should think of the creature as “she” not “it”. Obviously, she’s female. Clearly, she feels emotions, too. Athenia’s heart melted a little. The poor thing can’t help the way she is. I know what being an outcast is like.

She infused a little extra tolerance and love into her voice. Some smiled and made room for the bird woman among them. At least, I helped her a little. With a feedback loop, she tried to make the goodwill permanent. I can’t predict how long the effect will last, but a little time is better than nothing.

Buy Siren Descending here:
https://amzn.to/2v3rIFs

Siren Descending is Book 2 in the Sirens Series. It can be read as a standalone, but some readers prefer reading the books in order. If you would like a free digital copy of The Sea Witch and the Mage, Sirens Series Book 1, email me, and mention this blog. I will send you a secure code from book funnel! My email address is: katherinesmits@gmail.com

                                                               

                                                                                             

Flossie Benton Rogers-Part II

On Monday, we met author and Pen Dame, Flossie Benton Rogers. We learned that she is not only an interesting person, but a lady of many talents. Today we continue our interview with Flossie to learn more about her writing.

Flossie, on Monday, we learned a little about your personal life and what led you to writing. So, tell us what are you working on now?

I’m working on a cozy mystery series called Tea Thyme Mysteries set in north Georgia in a fictional town named Glisten, where everything is not gold but does glisten. Yes, I know it technically should be glitter, but glisten sounds better.

What advice would you give aspiring writers?

1. Keep going and don’t give up on the belief that you can do it. Encouragement from other writers will help.

2. If it’s hard to find big chunks of time to get those words on the page, use small segments instead, such as 15 minute blocks. Don’t think you have to be at your desk either. Parent pick-up lines work great for 15 minute blocks.

3. In between the actual writing, keep the story and characters uppermost in your mind. Feel them alive with you at all times, no matter who you’re with or what you’re doing. The momentum will be on your side, and the muse will not desert you.



Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

I have mentioned a few already. There are so many more books and authors that should be lauded far and wide. I love historical romances, especially those with knights or lairds, including Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsay and the first Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Early Laurel Hamilton titles had a strong impact on my appreciation of urban fantasy. Old melodramas, such as St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans, are on my favorites list, and David Kaufelt’s atmospheric Silver Rose. As for cozy mysteries, I love the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, the Sister Fidelma series by Peter Tremayne, and the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton.

Literary favorites would be Narcissus and Goldmund by Hesse, Notes from Underground by Dostoyevsky, the Greek plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the epic poems of Homer, Beowulf and the sagas, early English poetry, Shakespeare, ancient Sumerian and Egyptian writings, the novels of Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, and Thomas Mann.

I’d also like to give a shout out to the other Pen Dames: Loretta C. Rogers, Katherine Eddinger Smits, Linda Tillis, and Jennifer Taylor. Each author has written unique, fabulous novels, and they absolutely are not to be missed.

If you could meet one famous author, living or dead, who would it be?

This is the hardest question ever! Today I choose Homer, credited author of The Iliad and The Odyssey. Hopefully, I get to use a Wytchfae time portal to travel back to the 12th century BC, or perhaps to the 8th century BC, depending on which Homeric scholars you believe. He may have been an eyewitness to the Trojan War or may have lived a few centuries later. He may have been one person or may be a composite of several penmen.

I visualize him as one person who lived twenty years after the Trojan War ended. That gives him opportunity to know the events of the war and also the events that occurred during the extra ten years it took Odysseus to get back home. Can you imagine meeting Homer and hearing about those times first hand?

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

I have a whimsical, droll sense of humor and always wanted to be asked for my favorite joke. Here it is:

Question- What’s purple and goes bang bang bang bang?

Answer- A 4-door grape.


For beginning writers, what is your best book marketing tip?

Create several short promo blurbs while you are writing the book. You can use those to rev up interest in the story before publication.

Is there a subject you would never write about and why?

So far I can only write about losing my husband in an indirect way, as in Mind Your Goddess when Epona is cast to earth without her powers, alone, heartbroken, and bereft.

Outside of family members, name a person or a group that supported your commitment to become a published author.

I will always be grateful to you, Loretta, for inspiration, encouragement, and showing me that I could be a published author. In addition, our old writing organization gave tremendous support under the guidance of you and Dylan Newton as co-founders. 

If one of your books was made into a film, which book would you choose, and who would you like to play the lead?

For a film I choose the first book, Wytchfae Runes, with Sophia Myles as a smashing Kelly and Sergej Onopko as Ingvar the Viking. Sophia’s credits include Tristan and Isolde, a Miss Marple movie, and a guest spot in Doctor Who. She resembles Victoria Pratt, my number one choice for Kelly if we could turn back time fifteen years. Sergej’s credits include The Barbarians, Red Sparrow, and The Last Kingdom.

Anything specific you’d like to tell readers?

Heartfelt thanks to readers for enthusiasm and support for the Wytchfae world, and please leave a review on Amazon, or elsewhere, when you can. Just one positive sentence helps a bunch. Reviews are the best appreciation you can show for a book you’ve enjoyed.

Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

I encourage everyone to check out my website at http://flossiebentonrogers.com. Each week I share excerpts from works in progress and also blog on various topics. Join my newsletter list for tons of special freebies and goodies.

Thanks for allowing me to spend time with you today. Cheers & Happy Reading!

Flossie

Flossie, it has been wonderful learning about you and your many talents. I'm sure our readers enjoyed meeting you. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer all of the questions; and loved the cute joke.

~Do you have a question for Flossie? She’ll be happy to answer as long as it doesn’t involve politics, religion, or immorality~

Flossie Benton Rogers-Part I

Author Interview with the Fabulous Flossie Benton Rogers

Let's get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Were you named after someone special?

Hi, Loretta and readers! Thanks for these wonderful questions. I’m Flossie Benton Rogers. My parents named me Flossie after my paternal grandmother, with Irene as a middle name after my mother. Serendipitously, my grandmother’s name was Flossie Pearl Benton, and my lovely daughter-in-law’s middle name is also Pearl.

Where are you from?

I’m a 5^th generation native Floridian from both maternal and paternal lines. My 6^th great grandfather on my mother’s side came from the Carolinas in the early 1800s and settled in Columbia County (now Baker). He and his son are both designated Florida pioneers.

My father’s family did the same, settling in Columbia County before moving south to Polk County.

Tell us a little about yourself (i.e. your education, family life, travel, pets, hobbies, etc.).

My son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons (my Snickerdoodles) bring sunshine to my life each and every day. Seven years ago I lost my husband, the love of my life and most enthusiastic writing supporter. Today my writing buddy is a beautiful feline fur fae named Marigold.

I have a Master’s in Library Science, and Bachelor’s in Literature and Education. Besides writing and family time, I enjoy crochet, reading, and planning dream trips to Norway, Ireland, and Scotland. Some of the trips involve time travel. 

When and why did you begin writing?

The writing bug bit me at age eight when I began dictating fairy tales to my sitter. Throughout the years I continued to write poetry and novels, but the real passion to actually get published took hold when I retired from my library career.

What genre do you write?

I am published in fantasy romance, have written historical romance, and currently am working on cozy mysteries.

How did you get interested in writing this particular genre?

Fantasy Romance – Regarding the fantasy aspect, a passion for mythology and fairy tales traces back to preschool years when my grandmother read to me every day from a wonderful set of classics called Young Folks Library. As for the romance aspect, the third Harlequin I read was Red Diamond by Dorothy Cork, and it is still my favorite. There is a point in a good romance when your stomach flies up to your heart. In recent years I formed an appreciation for the urban fantasy genre. I consider my Wytchfae series to be urban fantasy with a happy ending.

Historicals – I love history and almost majored in it but luckily realized it’s the romantic and imaginative parts I love the best.

Cozy Mystery – My favorite go to books are cozies. I grew up on Nancy Drew and, later, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, and my favorite—Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe mysteries.

How did you come up with the titles for your books?

I coined the series title Wytchfae (pronounced “witch-fay”) because of the main characters. They have fae or fairy blood and also undergo witchy training such as guiding dead souls or managing the energy in a ritual circle. Wytchfae is also the parallel dimension where all sorts of supernatural beings exist in close proximity to us. 

The individual book titles came to me as descriptive of a story’s contents. For example, when writing the story of the goddess Epona and her powerful lover Eshigel, I remember thinking: “Eshigel, to stay out of trouble you need to ‘mind your manners’ and ‘mind your p’s and q’s’, heck—just Mind Your Goddess.”  But mind also has a different, softer meaning, as in ‘care for’ and Eshigel always cares deeply for Epona. He even goes to the literal depths of hell for her sake.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A combination of both. I began as the latter and then began to incorporate plotting when I realized it saves time during revision and can also be fun.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The spewing up of the actual words of the first rough draft is the hardest for me. I’m sure I need to buy butt glue by the gallons, but there is resistance with the early draft that can make my stomach hollow and queasy. After all, it is giving birth.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

As an author you’re never fully satisfied with your work. After it’s done and time passes, though, and you go back and reread what you’ve written, it seems magical somehow. Where did those pages come from? It seems as if there’s no way you could have written that. Not that it’s the best. Not that you’re patting yourself on the back. It’s more like you’re thanking the muses for the honor of allowing you to dance with them.

Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

I encourage everyone to check out my website at http://flossiebentonrogers.com. Each week I share excerpts from works in progress and also blog on various topics. Join my newsletter list for tons of special freebies and goodies. 

~Tune in again tomorrow to learn more about the fabulous Flossie Benton Rogers and the opportunity to ask her a question~

Hot Love Scenes and Occupational Hazards

Would I be bragging when I say my love scenes are so hot I set my desk on fire?

Truth.

 In Heartbeat of the Moon, the second book in my Rhythm of the Moon series, I spent a considerable amount of time writing passionate scenes. I don't mind that. In fact, it's one of my favorite things about writing this series, mainly because of the relationship between my two characters, Maggie and Ian. They are quite opposite from one another, but once he breaks her resistance, their passion for each other is dynamite.

Dynamite...which brings me to that afternoon in my office. I had a candle going and low volume instrumental music in the background. It was violinist, Doug Cameron's, "Passion Suite."

Every writer has their method of working. Mine is very tactile. I use butcher paper to track the plot, chapter by chapter. This was a pivotal scene, and I'd been analyzing the plot every so often.

I was experiencing one of those wonderful intense times when I'm so immersed in the scene and my characters that the world fades away to two lovers, expressing with their bodies what they can't express in words...

The smell of smoke pulled my brain out of my book. The butcher paper had caught on fire. I scuffled to put the fire out and knocked a mug of coffee off the table.

Hubby called, "What's going on up there?"

"Nothing. Nothing."

Luckily, nothing was damaged, except for the plot on the butcher paper and my pride.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that being an author isn't a dangerous occupation. Maybe I need to take a course on how to write love scenes safely.

Safe sex?