The Fifty-Sixth Issue

“Time and tide wait for no man.”  
That quote from Geoffrey Chaucer is so appropriate this time of year. The Fall Semester of classes is finally done and dusted. With any luck, that should give me more opportunities to focus on writing.
 
Here’s my thoughts on writing, my latest works in progress, an interview with another author and of course, music.
 
Ready?
 
Let’s rock!
 
Writing
 
Like most writers, I’m an avid reader. It’s not uncommon for me to read a book a week. Some larger ones, like a Stephen King novel, may take twice that time, but that’s never bothered me.  If the story is good, it will keep me going.
 
I’m always looking for different authors. One of my favorite sources to discover new talent is the local library. Six times a year they coordinate a used book sale. It’s a great fundraising tool and draws a lot of people in.  Paperbacks are priced three for a buck.  If the title and artwork catch my eye, I’ll check out the back cover. Then I’ll read the first paragraph. Should that sound interesting, I’ll give it a try.
 
Good authors understand the importance of the hook.  That’s where you catch the readers’ attention right away. Some can do that with the first line. Others may take a paragraph or a page.
 
Here are two of my examples. 
 
This is the first line from “Rules of Desperation.”
Nicholas Burr would never forget the first time he wanted to kill his wife.
 
What could his wife have possibly done to warrant such a reaction?
 
Here are the first couple of lines from “Why 319?”
You never really get used to the smell of a dead body.  It’s that thick, ghastly odor that attacks the nasal passages and stubbornly clogs the back of your through and just hangs there.  It lingers, waiting, like some sadistic culinary delight that you really don’t want to sample.
 
Most people read that and immediately want to know more. And that’s the key.  A good author will craft a line or a paragraph that hooks the reader.  They can’t leave it alone. They must know more.  So, they keep reading. And that’s exactly what the author wants to happen.
 
Not every book delivers a good hook. Sadly, not everyone can capture my interest and keep me reading.  If I get twenty pages into the story and don’t really care what happens to the characters, or the writing is stiff and boring, I’ll toss the book into the donation pile.  Life is too short to read stories that don’t engage me.  A writer needs to draw me in, to capture my imagination, to keep me turning pages, trying to figure out what’s going to happen next. 
 
If you can do that, I’ll stick around AND I’m likely to buy another book from you.  If not, it’s ‘hasta la vista, baby’. 

Works in Progress.
 
New scenes have been added to my crime novella.  I’ve passed 11,000 words in the first draft, which is encouraging. A couple of new characters have been added, which will strengthen the original cast.  With a target of 25,000 words, I’m still on track.  In a perfect scenario, I’ll have that done before the end of the year.
 
But as we all know, ain’t nobody perfect.
 
It should come as no surprise to anyone, me included, that ideas for both the Agonasti novel and what will someday become the fourth Chene book have gotten my attention.  Of course, I had to jot those down in their perspective manuscripts to keep it going.  Once you’re in the flow state, everything just clicks.

A Writing Contest
 
My good friend, Diana Kathryn Penn, is like the Energizer bunny. She just keeps going. Diana provides editing and promotional services to other authors. She also writes her own books and hosts the monthly remote event in February, where a litany of zany authors will play along in trying to solve a mystery.
 
It didn’t surprise me recently when Diana mentioned she’s created a writing contest.  There will be cash prizes available.  Diana has three elements to the prompt, to help get you started.  Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2025.  More details are available on the website, which is listed below.
 
https://www.pagespromotions.com

Author Spotlight
 
Someone asked me recently what it was like, competing with all the other writers I meet.  I explained that it’s not a competition. It’s a collaboration. Many of the authors are of the same mindset. We compare notes, talk about self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, even discuss promotions, events or advertising efforts.
 
That’s what happened a few weeks back when I met Cassidy Clarke at an event.  After speaking for a few minutes, I offered to feature her in the spotlight. She quickly agreed.
 
Let’s get to know more about Cassidy.

Tell us a little about yourself and your journey to becoming an author.

Hi! I’m Cassidy Clarke. I wear a handful of hats these days: I’m a part-time barista, a project manager for a podcast company, a freelance editor…and an author, of course!

I started writing when I was around eleven years old, and I started the way most young writers do: writing absolutely terrible fanfiction that will never see the light of day. But by high school, I was penning my own original stories; at seventeen, I finished my very first novel-length work.

Throughout college, I dabbled in dystopian, then sci-fi, and finally fell in love with fantasy. I wrote four more novel length works, did some querying, didn’t get much traction…then met my now-critique partner, Renee Dugan, who introduced me to the world of independent publishing.
​
A month after graduating with my Bachelors of Arts in Creative Writing from Oakland University in 2021, I published my first book, The Saltwater Heir. 

Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? 
 
Doesn’t everyone? I absolutely do—especially now that we’re seeing more fantasy books (Shadow & Bone, Percy Jackson, etc.) getting TV adaptations!
 
Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles?
 
I’d cast Sadie Sink as Soren, my main character, in a heartbeat. Her best friend, Elias, was based on Bob Morley (Bellamy Blake in The 100) to start with. Kallias and Finn, Soren’s two brothers (and the other POVs we see in the book!) would definitely be played by Sam Heughan and Dylan O’Brien.
 
What is your writing process?

My process has changed quite a bit over the years! I definitely prefer NOT outlining before I begin—I love getting to explore the story myself and let events unfold naturally when I can.
 
This worked very well for the first book. However, with each subsequent book in the series, I’ve outlined more and more thoroughly. The book I’m currently working on has a full outline to keep it structured, though I do try to keep the chapter descriptions “vague” to give myself room to play.  I write completely in sequence, however. Trying to write chapters out of order makes my head hurt!

*Describe the characters in your latest book.

My latest book is the third in my series. The main character, Soren, is a soldier who lost everything to the neighboring kingdom of Atlas…or so she thinks. When a chance encounter with an Atlas prince reveals the truth—that she is the Heir to the Atlas throne, long believed to be dead—everything she thought she knew about herself shifts in an instant.

Forced back to Atlas against her will, Soren has two choices: embrace the kingdom she has hated for over a decade…or use her newfound heritage to draw out the secrets of the untouchable royal family.

The first book is told from four points of view: Soren’s best friend Elias, who is slowly dying from an Atlas poison; Kallias and Finnick, the two Atlas princes (a.k.a. Soren’s older brothers!), and Soren herself. 
 
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

Most of them come to me as I write! I like to joke that they just wander into my brain and refuse to leave, like a stray cat deciding to follow you home.
Soren, for instance, was already in the story. But just a couple paragraphs after she hit the page, Elias ran right in after her. This proved to be a precursor to their dynamic throughout the rest of the series: Soren running full speed ahead, Elias doing his best to keep up!

*What is your latest book about?

My latest is the third in the series, so without spoiling anything for the first two, it focused heavily on themes of sacrifice, whether blood is truly thicker than water (hence, The Blood & Water Saga!), characters reclaiming power and autonomy in unique ways after it has been stolen from them, and what radical forgiveness really looks like. (Also, there’s a fiddle duel on a pirate ship. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” style.)

Do you have an excerpt for us?

This is one of my favorite pieces of The Saltwater Heir: our introduction to one of the POV characters, Finnick Atlas!

“Now, hang on. I think we can all agree this was an honest mistake.”

Prince Finnick Atlas backed away slowly from the rough-hewn table, the soles of his sandals sticking to dried puddles of beer and discarded bits of candied coconut, an innocent smile decorating his face. Not that they could see it with his scarf wrapped carefully around the lower half of his face and his hat jammed over his telltale hair. He was a lot of things, not many of them good, but he wasn’t a complete fool.

Just half of one. Maybe a third, if he was being generous with himself.

He had three minutes to wrap this up before the barkeep kicked one of them out.

He caught said barkeep’s eye and tugged twice at his earlobe. She narrowed her eyes at him, a silent groan of Must you? written all over her face.
​
He gave her a pleading look. She sighed, but gave in with a weary nod, plucking all breakable glasses from the bar itself. Not exactly the best show of faith, but he’d take it.
The hulking mass of a man he’d just beaten in a game of cards—not all that high-stakes, definitely not worth all this fuss—drew himself to his feet, his club-like hands slamming into the table with such force the driftwood chandeliers on the ceiling rattled. “Oh, it was a mistake, all right. But far from an honest one.”

What’s your next project?

I’m currently working on the fourth book in my series, which will be released March 15th, 2025!

How can readers find your books?

Paperbacks:
https://www.cassidyclarkewriting.com/category/books
(Use code NEWSLETTER for free shipping on your order!)
​
E-book:
https://www.amazon.com/Saltwater-Heir-Cassidy-Clarke-ebook/dp/B08ZSYFXVP/
 

MUSIC

I’m not the type of guy to start playing Christmas Carols the day after Halloween, but the week or so leading up to the 25th is fine with me.

I have a few holiday favorites. Some are classics and others are more recent. Here’s my top five with a variety of artists.

(Mariah Carey) All I Want for Christmas
https://youtu.be/aAkMkVFwAoo?si=c7sj3Vjg7bL7QAsB

(John Lennon) So this is Christmas
https://youtu.be/flA5ndOyZbI?si=eu1lVxyLIZkxiArw

(Eagles) Please Come Home for Christmas
https://youtu.be/5LUfDEATQHM?si=Wtm4RuVfGAVyYrdt

(Brett Eldredge & Meghan Trainor) Baby It’s Cold Outside
https://youtu.be/Rpg7-ab_F7s?si=ASl-DWj6fhtVLgQ5

(Kurt Russell) Santa Claus is Back in Town.
https://youtu.be/_ZOFIsNnDOI?si=4HqJu_YrFFDI58NX
 




​Movies
​
Everybody has some favorite holiday movies for this time of year.  I will admit to never viewing certain films such as “Elf” or “The Christmas Story”.  I’ve seen “White Christmas” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” more times than I can count. Neither of those make my list.

Here are my top five, with trailers.

“Die Hard”  https://youtu.be/r3A44uva4a8?si=a8ExeD6elBoTSfbp

“Scrooged”  https://youtu.be/3YjrsSEEreY?si=m8iEsHzWqfbBImj8

“Miracle on 34th Street” https://youtu.be/leDD6Y-Nyqg?si=3C63hYHORkGfdOs8

“The Santa Clause” https://youtu.be/aCc7bTJ8FCM?si=HZ1zQROQMbiE2e6P

“The Christmas Chronicles” https://youtu.be/YaeDa_Uempk?si=KMun8oXT7Qo9Ovns