Discover London during the Blitz through the eyes of a young girl who has lost everything…
I have 9 full length novels under my belt, a novella, and 5 short stories at this point, so I’ll get to it and pass on some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned to keep going, even when the project you’re working on seems never-ending or insurmountable.
Let’s do this!
One of the questions I get alot from my readers and fellow writers is where I source my information on the Greek Myths from. As you know if you’ve read my work, The Queens of Fantasy Saga is entrenched in multiple mythologies and religions, but this first saga focuses chiefly on the Greeks and Mount Olympus. I have always thought that before bastardising ancient myths for the good of your own art, you should know what you’re talking about, so i have studied these in great depth and am actually currently studying an online diploma on exactly this subject as well via The Centre of Excellence. I thought in the spirit of supporting all those who come after me and wish to learn of the Greek Myths for their own storytelling I would share my top resources!
When I was writing The Ashen Touch Trilogy, I realized very early on that I was dealing with the part of the Infiniverse most entrenched in imagery and myth. The use of imagery during The Ashen Touch Trilogy is what makes it not only one of my most complex works, but also my most contrasting. The imagery of classic myth, epic battles, and life or death choices are set against a heady mix of tunes ranging from The Beegees to Marvin Gaye, with a side helping of Candy Crush and The Furies wondering what the fuck to make of a Chicken McNugget. All in all, bringing classical and religious imagery into this series was essential, but also refreshing as I got to make it my own.
I thought, given the importance of the imagery throughout Sephy’s story, as well as the fact I did a crap ton of research going into this series, that I would explore some of the images and themes in the story, how I attached or subverted them when it came to particular scenes or characters, and how I decided to twist or use classic imagery to my storytelling advantage.
Prompt my pen is a super fun feature I run whereby my reader group THE INFINIVERSE EXPLORERS suggest visual prompts and i pick my favourite to write a flash fiction, poem, or short story each week.
This week’s poem is about the intense need to create felt by many writers..
NANOWRIMO 2019 is almost upon us! Now while i know some authors take this challenge in stride, there are many new writers who find the concept of writing 50k in just 30 days extremely intimidating and anxiety inducing. If you need a kick in the pants, a motivational pick me up, or a creative guru, i have the books for you! Check out my list of 5 books to get you pumped and ready to tackle national novel writing month like a pro!
It seems that not a day goes by when I don’t have someone messaging me for writing or publishing advice on social media. Honestly, I feel lucky to be in a position of trust where so many people feel they can ask me, and also that they trust that I know what I’m talking about. After ten books in just three years and over a million and a half words published, you’d think I have it all figured out, but as most authors will tell you, I’m still learning, and I will be for the rest of my career.
However, it is interesting to me that the concerns I’m hearing from new and unpublished fledgling authors are almost always the same. I thought, in light of this, I’d give you my advice and opinion on five commonly asked first time author worries, because honestly writing a book is hard, and when you’ve written ‘The End’ and think you’re just about done, the thing most people don’t realise is that the hard work is only just beginning.
So, let’s begin…
get asked a lot by readers, who are slowly turning toward becoming writers and published authors, about how I build my locations. With the worlds in The Kristy Nicolle Fantasy Infiniverse being so large, and interconnecting, this kind of world building needs a specific type of finesse and care that other genres such as mystery or satire might not require.
So, I decided to give you the top five considerations I make when creating the worlds that so many readers have enjoyed swimming/flying/running through.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Editing is what editors are for, right?
Wrong.
Any writer worth their salt must have some self-editing skills, and i’m here to show you the tools that make this process easier and more effective.
Imagine losing everything you loved. Could you go on?
After her father’s death in an unexpected storm, Madeleine Core knew she needed to leave her home behind. The island of Crystal Cove, surrounded by the very element that killed her only family, reminded her too much of the things she lost. Not even one special person could convince her to stay. Now, two years later, a devastating phone call changes everything.
Outlining is the cornerstone of many writer’s creative processes, mine included. And while some people like to wing it (to any pantsers out there, I salute you) I have been a plotter, and always will be, especially when you consider the scale of the project I’m working on. Outlining for me is crucial, and if I do it right, it saves me a shit ton of work and brain power down the line when I’m trying to focus on an individual scene. So, let’s have a look at the parts of my outlining process and how I have managed to craft the stories which you guys praise so highly.
Few of my female heroines have received as enthusiastic reception as one Miss Sephy Sinclair, and the way she occurred to me wasn’t entirely usual for me process wise at all. So, I thought today we’d take a look at how exactly she came about and what makes Sephy the character readers of the Ashen Touch Trilogy know and love.
As a writer of first person fiction, I am often complimented on how I place the reader into the story, and I can think of no other way for a new writer to do this more successfully than to make full use of all five senses.
A five-star read for sure, and one that any author would be proud to call their own. Take note writers, this is pure literary gold!
When people start plotting for the first time, they always ask how, but from my point of view, and especially in the case of fantasy fiction, the key question isn’t how, but why.
There isn’t any question about why I became a writer. It’s that reason you never want to list as motivation, but something which often puts you on the path you least expect, and which if you’re lucky like me, turns out to be the exact place you should be.
I was desperate.
The Cover Reveal for my debut tarot-inspired poetry collection I AM ARCANA