Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

Happy Holidays Everyone!

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happy holidaysA very merry and happy holidays to everyone out there in Toyland! How did the holiday season sneak up on me so quickly? It tends to happen faster and faster every year. I blame my children, but then I do most of the time anyway.

They still love me though.

Off track quickly here. Anyway, an early Happy New Year to all of you and a big thank you for following along on my continued adventures into possible insanity. Kidding. That happened long ago.

These last few months have been amazing. Sharing the world of Greystone as well as my writing tics has been an incredible experience. I can’t wait to show you what’s coming next year! More Greystone, more giveaways, more and more and more!

This will be the last post this year. I will be back on January 5th with a writing update, assuming I can find my computer under the mountain of batteries and Step 2 manuals for the wee ones. After that I’ll be back on the Monday/Thursday routine once again.

Don’t forget to pick up your free copy of Resurrectionists if you’ve been putting it off. (Why would you do such a thing?) Everyone needs a little sacrilege during the holiday season. It is a great primer for what you will find in Tales from Portents, coming this February. Coming quick too! I better get those proofs set!

And if that isn’t enough for you, a little holiday present from me to you:

The Medusa Coin

I freaking love getting a new cover from Kit Foster Design. Always an absolute treat.

The Medusa Coin will be out in September 2017. A lot more about that and the second half of Greystone’s first cycle coming your way in the next year.

Happy Holidays!

Be safe this holiday season and share some love.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – December 8, 2016

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I like to take stock on where I am with my work and I feel it’s important to share that with you here. Every two weeks you can find out what I’m currently writing and what I’ve been reading.

Writing

The absolute best part of my job is breaking story. It’s intricate and it’s messy and it never ever turns out the way you expect. There are non-stop surprises, ranging from the fantastic to the heartbreaking.

If I could I would outline every day for the rest of my life. I love the craft behind building a story. From the inciting incident to the turn to the climax.

That is where I am this month; breaking down the next piece of Greystone’s first cycle, the second short story collection that builds right into the final novel.

The working title is Pathways in the Dark.

My kids hate me right now because they keep seeing me play on my cell phone but it is because I keep finding a new note on the collection. A piece of the puzzle that started with Signs of Portents so long ago. An answer to a question I never thought to ask.

Pathways is about finding your way. Every major and minor player introduced since the start of the series (that’s managed to survive) has a role to play. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out each story. How to weigh in new threats with callbacks to previous tales. Who gets the focus and why?

I should be doing other things. Tales from Portents is two months out. There’s so much work to do on it and the lead-in release of Resurrectionists. I should be resting up after NaNoWriMo and drafting The Medusa Coin.

Soriya Greystone and Greg Loren had other plans for me. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Speaking of NaNoWriMo, I hope you’ve enjoyed my pieces over at The Write Life. The last one will be out next week. I am eternally grateful for being given this opportunity to share my experience. There were some tough days in there but I definitely feel like a stronger writer because of NaNoWriMo.

Lots of news on Tales from Portents and Resurrectionists in two weeks!

Reading

I’ve been binging on my stockpile of comics that have built up over the last few months. Novels are still on the backburner for a bit but I’ve picked one out. I’m counting that as progress.

Superman: Lois & Clark – Not based on the 90’s show, though that would be AMAZING. In 2011, DC decided to update Superman. They threw away his marriage to Lois, made him younger and more rebellious. It didn’t really work for the character. This book brought back the Superman from my youth. (“My” Superman.) Dan Jurgens pulled out all of the elements I loved about the character, including his marriage to Lois, and really crafted a heartfelt story about the couple living in a world not their own. The addition of a child in the mix was great as well.

Dan Jurgens pulled out all of the elements I loved about the character, including his marriage to Lois, and really crafted a heartfelt story about the couple living in a world not their own. The addition of a child in the mix was great as well.

Very happy to add Superman back to my reading pile again. It’s been way too long.

Transformers: Drift – Empire of Stone – I confess, I have an unbridled love for robots in disguise. And when handled by IDW’s team of writer’s and artists? They are damn near perfect month in and month out. Shane McCarthy follows up the first Drift mini-series about a former Decepticon (turned Autobot turned neutral) with a buddy cop romp.

Seriously. It is Lethal Weapon with two giant alien robots. Ratchet (Murtaugh) and Drift (Riggs) play off each other to perfection. The action is over the top and chaotic. The character moments flow seamlessly and hit the right note and the right time.

A great afternoon read.

I just started Grant Morrison’s Seven Soldiers of Victory so I’ll hold off on talking about it until next time. (psst, it’s mindblowingly crazy so far…)

Thanks for reading!

The Drawback of Writing a Book Series

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I wrote about what makes writing (and reading) a book series so appealing last week. This week I want to go the opposite track and discuss the cons of working in the confines of a series.

Seeing a book series through to the end.

There is a level of expectation when writing a series. Especially to the reader. When an author dives into a series there is the belief that they will see it through to the end. Look at the Harry Potter series. Imagine that J.K. Rowling decided halfway through The Goblet of Fire that she needed to work on A Casual Vacancy next instead of starting the fifth book of everyone’s favorite wizard? Imagine the outcry from fandom for that little decision? Think what Warner Brothers would have done if they caught up with the books when making the films?

Writing a series can be freeing in some respects. I wrote about them previously. The level of comfort in living within an existing world. But what if you discover a new world in the telling? What if you feel the pull to something new halfway into your narrative (this being a multi-book narrative not the middle of a single book)? Do you walk away from your current series and the fans of such work to create something new? Or are you stuck?

Greystone’s first “cycle”

I’ve thought about this for some time. By the time the fifth book (three novels and two short story collections) of the Greystone series comes out I will have spent over two years of my life working on nothing else. If I take into account the previous attempts to put together Signs of Portents over the last decade it is more like four years. Quite an extensive portion of time.

And that’s not the end of the story. Not by a long shot. But I’ve created small windows in the narrative to give myself time to create other worlds. Build other stories or series. And then come back to Portents, Loren and Soriya for another couple of years.

Not every writer has that luxury. The pressure of continually working within a specific series can be confining when other worlds beckon.

Spinning your book series in circles

Having a series is a great idea in theory. Growing characters. Seeing them through a journey unable to be contained within a single work. But what if the plot of a book series takes precedent over the growth of those characters?

Excuse the return to the Harry Potter world but my daughter keeps pulling it off the shelf for some reason and it’s stuck in my head. Think about it though. What if Rowling focused so fully on the return of Voldemort she forgot that Harry, Ron and Hermione were living, breathing characters that needed to evolve with each book? What if she knew where they ended up but it was built out so far in the future that she ended up stunting their growth to keep the journey going for book after book?

Spinning in circles is a real problem and finding the hook for a character for their third or thirteenth appearance can be a real challenge. If the character has nothing to strive for, if it is forced upon both them and the reader, is there really a need to continue the series?

A lack of focus

Much like the questions asked above with a book series, there is the fear of losing focus over the life of the series. I’ve read quite a few comics in my day. (You might be surprised to learn that. Don’t be.) Something I always find with writer’s that overstay their welcome on a title is that the focus turns away from the main characters completely for a supporting character that has more room for growth.

Reader’s hate this. They don’t pick up a Jack Reacher book to read about Joe Schmoe in the background that seems to pop up every other chapter. They want to know what the hell Jack Reacher is going to do next. (I totally was going to bring up Harry Potter again. One track mind today.)

If the writer can’t find something interesting to say about their main characters and rely on supporting or even new players to showcase the world of the book series then maybe it is time to button it up. Maybe there has been enough mileage on a single concept.

These are things I constantly worry about, toy with when developing a story into a series to make sure there is enough meat there to keep the reader coming back for more. It is part of the reason for the break from Greystone after book five, to make sure there is something there for the next “cycle” for Soriya, Loren and the rest of the cast. The plot is there to be sure but that is only half the battle. The characters are the rest.

Readers know this and ultimately they deserve the best with each and every installment.

Thanks for reading.

Why Book Series Are So Appealing

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We live in a serial storytelling world. From the endless supply of sequels in Hollywood to the season length plotlines in our favorite television show to our favorite book series, we can’t escape them. And who wants to, right?

When I sat down to figure out the first project I would be releasing, Signs of Portents circled to the top. At the start of things the book was a one off. Tell the story and get the hell out of there. Move onto something else. Now it is a full blown book series. (Or will be after February’s release of Tales from Portents.)

And that’s a good thing.

Here are three reasons why book series are so appealing to readers and writers:

Creating stronger attachments.

Book series create stronger attachments. Think about it. You want to know what happens next in your favorite series. I recently read the Bill Hodges trilogy by Stephen King. The author could have left things alone after the initial installment of Mr. Mercedes but the character of Hodges stuck with him. Finders Keepers, while focusing on another narrative for two thirds of the book before pulling Hodges back into things did eventually create the through-line necessary for the “trilogy” to play out.

By the time I finished the second in the series I had pre-ordered a copy of the third. I had to know what happened to everyone involved in the story. How Bill Hodges would win the day. I felt compelled to follow Brady Hartsfield’s madness.

Covering all that in one book is possible but then it is done. Over. Finished. Not always a detriment and there are quite a few people out there that would argue that is all that is necessary. Put together a solid novel and let it out there. Beginning, middle and end. But sometimes more can be just as satisfying.

Seeing characters through more. The journey.

I’ve always been more of a television person than a film viewer. I prefer the journey of a character over more than one situation. It is more preferable for me to witness the fallout, the slow growth than the shift within the confines of a two hour movie. The same applies for people in love with book series.

What did they do next? Where do they go from here?

These are questions that I find myself fascinated with when putting together a story. Maybe it’s a weakness of mine. Maybe I have trouble closing out a single work because I’m afraid to end something so definitively. The journey, however, has always been the fun of it for me.

Characters, much like reality, go through more than one life changing situation. Each one shapes us as people, and as readers. That is where the effectiveness of a book series lies. How is each circumstance handled differently and why? How the protagonist evolves, sometimes against our better wishes, is something we have to see. Those expectations, that thrill at seeing the next chapter of a character’s existence is thrilling for readers.

It’s all about comfort.

For both readers and writers of a book series. Comfort in sitting down with old friends. Comfort in knowing certain tropes of the narrative. John McClane is going to be covered in blood and saying Yippee-ki-yay-something or other… Loren is always going to piss someone off with his attitude and his need to snap his gum at the absolute worst time. Soriya is always going to need to fight. Always.

We love that about series. The absolutes. It’s like wearing a warm blanket.

For writing especially. Book series offer the writer a break from designing every element and building world after world. Portents exists now. It is laid out. The Central Precinct exists. It has rules to it. Six floors. Loren’s office is on the second. Rules.

Even the cover has rules to it now. A style to it that should stay in keeping for the whole series. Because of that there is an ease in entering the world instead of trepidation at every turn. Should there always be something new to add to the world, helping it evolve over the course of the series? Absolutely. Should there be old standby’s, callbacks and nods to previous books in the series for the reader’s benefit? Definitely.

What do you prefer?

Do you prefer to follow a specific series or are you more in the vein of a one-and-done reader? What is it about either one that appeals to you? What do you look for in a series?

Drop me a line on social media or directly. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

NaNoWriMo

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It is the end of October. Fall is in full swing. Snow is right around the corner or seventy degree weather if you live in Buffalo. (INSANE) And tomorrow kicks off one of the biggest writing events of the year. NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month starts at 12:01 tomorrow morning.

About NaNoWriMo

The event was first held way back in the dark ages of the twentieth century. 1999. No one felt like partying by November because the Prince song had been played to death all fudging year. Instead, a challenge was issued to the writing community. 30 days of writing. A 50,000 word count as the target. Go.

Since that time the event has grown so much that in 2015 there were over 431,000 participants on six continents. Not too shabby.

The NaNoWriMo organization has expanded as well. A non-profit since 2005 they now host a Youth Writers Program, helping students become writers as well as helping educators push their students in the field. Camp NaNoWriMo offers a community of writers to work with during their sessions in April and July of every year. Being able to bounce ideas and pitch story to better develop their own skills goes a long way to building up the confidence to put together a fully formed manuscript.

What does this mean for me?

I’ve always had mixed feelings on the program. I believe writing should be every month, every day, every hour you’re able. (Praise to you, o glorious nap time.) I understand it’s purpose. Now more than ever. Dedicating a single month to crafting a singular project, focusing on it completely, makes sense. It forces writers to push through everything holding us back. Anxieties. Doubts. Fear. Busy schedules. Every fault we find in ourselves. Every excuse not to express ourselves and share what we discover during the journey.

So I’m in.

Follow along.

Starting tomorrow morning I am in full drafting mode. From Chapter One to The End when November 30th creeps up on me out of nowhere. (It will too. Damn calendars.) 50,000 words is the NaNoWriMo challenge. Unfortunately, that won’t cover the novel I have planned. I’m looking more at 85,000 to 90,000 by the looks of my outlines.

I always was an overachiever.

What am I working on? What do you have to look forward to down the line, after a massive amount of editing?

The next full length Greystone novel. I call it The Medusa Coin. Here’s a sneak peek:

Death has come to Portents.

Three months after the Night of the Lights the city has changed. Detective Greg Loren struggles to find his place in the city, while Soriya finds her confidence shattered in an instant.

Something is wrong with the Greystone.

But there isn’t time to worry about it. A new menace stalks the streets, slaughtering innocents mercilessly. Who is controlling it? Who has found access to the mysterious Medusa Coin?

And what does it mean for the city?

Faced with an insurmountable challenge will Loren and Soriya be able to overcome this new threat or will they fall with the rest of Portents?

This one has been brewing in the back of my mind for a long time. I can’t wait to see it finally come together.

The Write Life Connection

The fine folks at The Write Life have asked me to blog about my NaNoWriMo experience over on their site. I hope to share some tips on how to prepare for the challenge, how to get great results with your daily word count and how to reward yourself along the way.

Donate today.

NaNoWriMo.org accepts donations to help run the annual challenge and promote writing worldwide. Find out more on their site.

Join in the fun.

It might be tomorrow but you can still join in the challenge. Have that dream novel waiting in the back of your mind? There is no better time to write it than NOW.

I’ll be sharing my progress as I go along. I hope you’ll do the same.

Thanks for reading. Go write something!

Signs of Portents – Author Commentary Part 2

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Editing a novel is a tricky process. There’s the story you’ve come up with and put together over many months. And then there’s the story that needs to be told within that story. What sells the arc of a character? How do you drive it home for your reader? How does it impact future books in the series? All become very important questions over the course of the editing process.

To me, there was something missing in Signs of Portents for the longest time. A player that, while minor in the novel, would come to play a larger role in events as the series played out. In my mind, at least. Draft after draft went by until it finally dawned on me who I was missing in the work.

Rufus Mathers.

He shows up in a single chapter in the novel. (Chapter 23 for those playing at home.) Just one. But by including him as a physical presence in the book his impact is felt throughout the work.

editing processWhy Mathers?

I needed a foil. I needed a face to stand against Loren and the way things had been done in the past. Someone to hate Loren for the mistakes made during his previous stint at the Portents Police Department. Someone with authority and someone with power over how Loren and, by association, Soriya could operate in the city. The notion of Standish, the troubles in Loren’s past were seeded but there was no one actually willing to say these things out loud from any place of authority.

Mathers came into focus very late in the game to fill this role and in doing so also provided the perfect place to give Captain Ruiz more time on the page.

Counterpoint to Ruiz

I knew Ruiz needed more to play with during Signs of Portents. He’s the Walter Skinner of the cast (for all you X-Files fans out there) and there needed to be more room for him to strut his stuff. The inclusion of Mathers, and the sudden creation of the events in Chapter 23, the reader gets to see Ruiz take center stage.

We follow Ruiz while he defends Loren’s actions as well as his own for bringing him back into the fold. We learn the power struggle between the two men. One wanted the other’s job and one just wanted to do the job.

It also allowed me to show Ruiz’s doubts about Loren, his fears in putting it all on the line for the man barely surviving. His doubts become the readers and it becomes Loren’s job to put them at ease.

Ruiz down the line

By setting up the work dynamic with Mathers during the editing process I was able to open up some avenues down the line. The reader gets to learn more about Loren’s blow up with Robert Standish – someone you will be reading about quite a bit in the upcoming Tales from Portents collection – and added more drama to the situation. Having someone to pile on the protagonist always add more fuel to the fire of a plot. I knew Mathers would play the part well, while also keeping Ruiz in check.

More than anything, Ruiz needed to be seen and heard more in the novel. His role in the next full length novel is greatly expanded. Big stuff happens with him. Seeding his story here and watching it grow in Tales from Portents lets the reader see how important he truly is to the overall arc of the Greystone series.

Fingers crossed that it worked.

Thanks for reading.

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