Tag: characters

  • Becoming Lucifer

    (This post originally appeared in October 2013 on The Qwillery) Writing a fully three-dimensional character isn’t an easy task to begin with, but when you’re writing from the point of view of consummate evil? Trust me, it can be even tougher. And slimy-er. And just plain ickier. That was the challenge I faced in writing…

  • The Devil Is In the Details (Along With the Angels)

    This post first appeared at Smash Attack Reads back in January. When Ash, the blog host there, asked me to write about my world-building process, I wanted to provide a serious, thoughtful answer. And I tried. Really I did. Remember that as you read this, okay? Because the truth is, most of the world-building for…

  • Those Sexy, Sexy Angels

    Over the past few years, I’ve often heard (or read) that angels are the new vampire in fiction. Whether or not this is true (die-hard vampire fans would disagree, I’m sure!), there is no mistaking the recent proliferation of angels on bookstore shelves and in e-readers. On Amazon alone, a recent search for ‘angels’ in…

  • Required Immediately: Kick-Ass Heroine For Starring Role in Urban Fantasy Fiction

    (This post originally appeared on Fade Into Fantasy) Job Description: Taking the lead female role in urban fantasy novels as required, you will provide critical opposition to various dark forces including but not limited to: werewolves, demons, vampires, fae, shapeshifters and other paranormal/supernatural types. This exciting position is directly responsible for ensuring that the good…

  • Introducing…The Grigori Legacy cast

    So there I am, working away on Monday, when all of a sudden, I can’t remember the Archangel Michael’s hair color. His eyes, yes. His shoulders, definitely. 😉 But not his hair. Huh. Normally this wouldn’t be a huge issue, because I can look it up, right? Wrong. After flipping through all 339 pages of…

  • 5 Reasons I Write About Cops

    If you’ve read the Grigori Legacy series, you’ll know that the main character, Alexandra Jarvis, is a homicide detective. There are actually several reasons for this: I myself am a wanna-be cop. The story goes like this: I applied for the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police for you non-Canadians ;)) when they still had height…

  • Help Wanted

    I need your input. I’m writing a blog post for Fade into Fantasy about what makes a kick-ass heroine and, while I have my own ideas on the topic, I’d like to know what you think. You’re the reader. What traits do you like to see in a heroine when you read a book? What draws…

  • What makes a great character GREAT?

    We’ve all read books with characters we connect with more than others, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? What makes some characters more memorable than others? Just what is it that makes great characters great? Julie at Yummy Men & Kick-Ass Chicks recently asked this question of a number of authors (including…

  • Choosing Character Names: Why meaning is important

    I love names. Really love them. I think one of my favorite things about starting a new manuscript is choosing my characters’ names. But it’s also one of the most challenging. For me, a name can’t just suit a character (strong or weak, masculine or feminine), but also has to help define him or her.…