Wednesday Interview: E.J. Wesley

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authors, books, eBooks, indie authors, interviews, New Adult, New adult books, novels, vampires, writers

As promised, every Wednesday I will feature a Q&A session with an Indie or Self-Published author right here on my blog.

My first subject is E.J. Wesley, author of Blood Fugue, the first book in the Moonsong series. If you are familiar with the rise of the New Adult category in the book industry, you might know E.J. is active in making New Adult a reputable category and even hosts the weekly Twitter chat #NALitChat

Megan Cashman: What first inspired you to get into writing? 

E.J. Wesley: I’ve been a dedicated reader since my early teens. But that’s all I truly aspired to be in terms of fiction–a consumer. It wasn’t until I’d graduated from college and began working in mental health that I really got interested in creating. We were using Harry Potter as a counseling tool (working with troubled teens), and I saw first hand how a great story could not just entertain, but change a life. Simply put, I wanted to do that. I’m still trying! 😀

Megan Cashman: So many paranormal books out there have a romantic storyline to them. Why did you choose to write one that had an action-suspense-horror angle to it?

E.J. Wesley: I’ve read a number of YA para-rom stories, and enjoyed my share of them. So I’m not anti-romance by any means. I just wanted to write a certain kind of story, with a certain type of character. Jenny, the mc, is not a romantic person. She’s a little selfish (a lot?), somewhat abrasive, and is probably more interested in sex than romance. (She is 21, after all, and that kind of thinking isn’t reserved to men of that age.) The romance just didn’t feel right for this story, if that makes sense.

That being said, I DID set out to create something a little different. Like Sookie Stackhouse without so much of the smexy. Mostly because I’m a new-ish author, and wanted to bring my unique storytelling voice to the table, give readers a clue of what kinds of things they can expect from me as an author. But also because these are the types of stories I enjoy the most: lots of action, characters behaving in their own flawed fashion, and a whole bunch of crazy $#!% on the side. 🙂

Megan Cashman: Why did you choose the title “Blood Fugue” (BTW, what does fugue mean?)

E.J. Wesley: Not going to lie, the title was the most difficult aspect of the final editing process. I had to pick SOMETHING. Including the name ‘Moonsong” was a given, because it is at the heart of who the main character is, and what the overall story is about. So, being a series of novelettes, I decided the series should be titled ‘Moonsongs’. Taking a cue from the musical nature of the series title, I wanted each story to have a musical theme to it in name.

So I decided to go with major themes, movements, etc. in classical music (I’m a fan of that, too). A fugue is a compositional technique where two or more sounds (voice, instrument, etc.) are built on a subject or theme that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and recurs frequently in the course of the composition.

Blood Fugue is all about Jenny (the main character) learning about her family (blood) and potentially following in their footsteps–sort of repeating the pattern of her ancestry. So I thought there was a nice symmetry there.

Megan Cashman: How has South Texas influenced the setting of your book?

E.J. Wesley: If you live in Texas for any amount of time it just kind of soaks into your bones. The culture here is way more diverse than most people know. Latino, Native American, German–all have settled in the state. Probably because it is enormous, so there’s plenty of land to go around. Yet despite that cultural diversity, there are common attitudes amongst the natives. Texans tend to be black and white thinkers (which is not to be confused with non-thinking)–you either are or you aren’t, you will or you won’t, and so on. So there’s lots of that in my characters.

This story has a major Native American element to it, which is something I’ve grown up around. (I’m not a native Texan, btw. But did grow up about 20 minutes from the state line in Southwest Oklahoma.) A couple of my great grandparents were Native American, and the culture is everywhere in Oklahoma, as you might expect.

As far as physical setting, the story takes place in West Texas, which is more of a plains area. The weather comes in extremes (can get really hot, but also really cold because there aren’t as many trees, etc. to stop those northern winds from whipping around). The weather is usually referred to as a person in those areas, because it’s so fickle and changing. I definitely tried to use that unpredictability to build suspense into Blood Fugue.

Megan Cashman: Some reviewers didn’t like the use of swear words in “Blood Fugue”. How do you explain your need to use profanity in your writing?

E.J. Wesley: I think there was something of a misunderstanding with the profanity, meaning a few people might’ve gone into reading the story thinking it was YA in the vein of Twilight, etc. (because it has ‘paranormal’ in the description is my guess). Blood Fugue was written for adults–New Adults, actually (18-26 year olds). While there is some language, it is there because the main character speaks that way.

I believe anything you find in the story is true to the characters. Some swear, some don’t. In the end, it definitely doesn’t break any records for curse words on a page or anything. In fact, you’d likely hear worse walking down the halls at most high schools.

Megan Cashman: How did you find out about the New Adult genre?

E.J. Wesley: I wrote Blood Fugue as New Adult before I even knew there was a category for it! lol Basically, I set out to write a story my 20-something nieces and nephews would find entertaining. That happened to be a story with video games, energy drinks, and lots of transition angst involved in moving into the ‘adult’ world. I just felt there weren’t stories for THOSE people, and with the accessibility in publishing these days, I figured I could put it out there even if a traditional publisher couldn’t/wouldn’t classify it.

Then I stumbled upon the NA Alley Blog. It was this collection of awesome authors dedicated to writing and promoting exactly the kind of story I’d written. Then I learned there was this swelling movement to get NA out there. Basically, I discovered I wasn’t alone.

Megan Cashman: Why do you think the word needs to get out about NA? Does it really have a potential audience?

E.J. Wesley: 20 somethings are some of the most devoted readers I know. I’m not sure what yahoo decided college students wouldn’t, or didn’t, read fiction, but I just have to tell them they’re wrong. Maybe we’re not giving them enough to read. Maybe they aren’t all omnivorous readers who will devour YA books written for people 10 years younger than they are, or the latest Norah Roberts and Nicholas Sparks books written for people 10 years older. Perhaps they prefer to read stories written for them, about them. That would be my guess as to why that demographic hasn’t ticked the right boxes in market research. Because they definitely read. And if they read, authors should be writing for them. (See my Harry Potter example in the first question–stories can change lives.)

Megan Cashman: “Blood Fugue” is the first book of your Moonsongs series. When can fans expect the next installment?

E.J. Wesley: Moonsongs Book 2 should land in December! All I’ll say, is if you like witches and magic, this one will be for you. 😀

Check out Blood Fugue at these sites: Amazon – B&N – Smashwords – Goodreads

Contact E.J. Wesley on these sites: – Twitter  – Facebook – Goodreads – Blog

 

 

Big News for “The Dark Proposal”!

Tags

eBooks, Free Books, Halloween, Kindle, vampires

I have some exciting news for anyone looking for a good vampire book to read. My novel The Dark Proposal will be free on Kindle tomorrow and Wednesday – October 30th and October 31st – in honor of Halloween. I know it sounds a bit cliched to sell my book for free during these days, but hey, my book is a vampire thriller and this time of year is perfect for it.

Click here to check it out!

In other news, as someone who lives in New York City, I am riding out Hurricane Sandy as I type away. It is 1:30pm now, and so far, it is like a bad rainstorm where I am with a lot of wind and rain. But in other areas where I live, streets have turned into rivers – and it’s not over yet. The winds keep picking up. I am grateful, though, that my neighbors had enough sense to cut down their massive trees before Hurricane Irene hit last year. Yet, anything could happen.

But I have my cell phone charged, books to read, my flashlight ready along with extra batteries. I’m hoping for the best and praying to survive whatever disaster happen.

If you’re in the East Coast getting hit, about to get hit, or was already hit, stay strong and stay safe!

The Evolution of Vampires

Tags

folkore, paranormal, paranormal romance, PNR, Pop culture, popular culture, psychology, Twilight

For centuries, vampires struck fear in the hearts of anyone who believed in them or enjoyed films or books about them. They were pure evil, luring humans to them before sinking their fangs into their necks to devour their blood. Vampires were the enemy of God and on the devil’s side. There was no way to pity something so villainous. 

But these days, many people are looking at vampires with new eyes. You might have noticed in popular culture these days, vampires are seen in a good light. They are tortured souls, unhappy with their existence and remorseful over killing humans for their blood. They also are able to have empathy for humans and are capable of having romantic relationships with them. This depiction of vampires is completely different from how they were traditionally viewed.

What has happened? Why the change in viewing an evil creature?

It could be that people today are more apt to think villains aren’t the way they are by accident. There’s always a reason why someone does or behaves in a certain way. You could thank psychology on that, which has made modern humans more likely to analyze theirs and other people’s behavior. Unless you are a psychopath, there’s always a reason why some people become lousy members of society.

But should vampires be sympathized at all? Should a human pity a monster?

For me, it depends on how they became vampires in the first place. Some are forced, while some choose to be without really knowing what they are getting themselves into, much like Louis in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire – the book many credit with bringing about the sympathetic vampire into popular culture. In those cases, there can be sympathy. I’m sure we can all agree anyone who willingly chooses an existence of killing people almost night after night is not worthy of any pity.

But is it possible for a vampire to hold on to his or her humanity once they are transformed? A newborn vampire, I believe, can. Too bad they’ll be wrestling with their new nature that makes the scent and taste of blood too intoxicating for them. Also, I would think having supernatural abilities and senses would make a new vampire feel not exactly human anymore. At this point, a new vampire is a hybrid of a human being and a supernatural creature that could cause much damage in the world.

Now you may argue that a vampire could easily drink from animals – PETA wouldn’t like that – or drink enough from a person so that the prey would survive. That can happen, and I may be a bit more easy around a vampire like that should I ever meet one (or rather, if any actually exist).

But let’s say a vampire is not a newborn, and is 100, 500 or even 1,000 years old? Will that vampire still have any humanity left in them? Did they have any to begin with? After all, in some parts of the world, people are more compassionate to each other than ever before. But a century, or centuries ago, there wasn’t much empathy going around. It was OK to have disdain for, mistreat and even kill someone who was different from you in any way. With that in mind, I would think someone who became a vampire during then would be quick to see humans as anything but sources of nourishment. The Middle Ages, for example, were a brutal time, so a newborn vampire in that time period would be used to such cruelty and wouldn’t have been taught to be empathetic as much as we are today.

At the same time, I think a very old vampire would eventually lose his or her humanity because they had spent so many years living separately from humans. They usually only come out at night and hide their identities, because they can’t let the world know that they are bloodsuckers or else they’ll get a stake through the heart. This would cause vampires to live detached from humans and have their own way of life, and therefore, their own mindset. How could a vampire in that situation maintain their empathy for humans like that? I could see a newborn vampire doing that, but not an old one. By then, their memories of being human are miniscule compared to their centuries of being vampires. Their humanity becomes a faded memory, almost like a legend in their minds.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

But in that case, can a vampire regain their humanity? Could a 1,000 – more or less – year old vampire learn to be compassionate and empathetic to humans? Could they ever realize that they are killing their victims, and not just getting their fill? Could they ever melt their hearts from such hardness? Can a vampire ever have a heart, no matter their age?

All this is worthy of debate because of the way vampires are portrayed these days in books, movies and TV shows. Some may complain that Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga has ruined the vampire lore by making hers very different from the traditional vampire. But when you really think about, all myths and legends evolve as humans progress. Those stories reflect the society that either creates or enjoys them, so having the compassionate vampire who is worthy of pity reflect how people today are more analytical then ever, and are less likely to see the world in black and white as they did in the past.

To Outline or Not to Outline? That is the Question!

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authors, how to write a book, how to write a novel, novelists, novels, the writing process

There seems to be two ways to write a novel: either you outline your story chapter by chapter, and once you’re satisfied enough, you put everything together. Saves a lot of time and it allows you think things over before you actually write the story.

Or, you could sit before your pad or computer and just write whatever comes to mind – better known as pantsing. You have a basic idea on what you want your novel to be, but you also know full well that anything could happen while putting your characters in a complex plot with emotional situations. It allows plenty of room for creativity and makes the writing process loads of fun, while outlining seems so rigid.

The problem is, you hit a lot of walls, get writer’s block often, and you may get lost. Completing your novel could also take much longer and your readers will soon become frustrated that your latest book isn’t out yet.

Either route has its ups and downs, their pros and cons. They are both frustrating and fun. But you have to figure out what works best for you as write your novel.

When I wrote my first book, The Dark Proposal, I was a total pantser. I had an idea in my head but I chose to basically wing it. There were some days where I barely did a paragraph, and some days I did half a chapter. It was unpredictable, but I enjoyed the ride. I learned so much about what it takes to write a novel, so I was practically doing on-the-job training.

That is not the case right now. Sure, I am still advancing my craft, but I am not really a beginner yet. I certainly wouldn’t say I am a veteran – oh hell no! But I have a follow-up to my book to write, and I can’t take forever to complete it. On top of that, I am working full time which eats up my chances of writing freely. I have solved that problem by setting a schedule for myself where I set aside three days a week to work on my WIP.

However, I am still mostly pantsing. I did make a list beforehand of what I wanted to happen in not just my second book, but my third so my trilogy would be set. I am still taking notes during my lunch break and I’m always analyzing about how to make my book intriguing. But once I go to Starbucks or Panera Bread, I write what comes to mind. I may write based what on my notes, but they aren’t about what happens scene by scene, so I really am winging it.

Maybe taking notes is a form of outlining, but its really not. I honestly feel rather disappointed in myself that I am not a bona fide outliner. I wish I was because it seems so much more disciplined. I don’t think of myself as undisciplined, but I do notice that I really enjoy jumping into new projects and finding what happens as I go. That may be a character flaw in me, but that just might be me.

Perhaps I just need to accept this part of myself. If I am a pantser, then so be it. But if I can evolve into an outliner, bring it on!

In other words, when you write, do what feels natural for you. Don’t force yourself to outline or take it as it comes. Do what is right for you. As long as you create a magnificent story and you are evolving as a writer, then why wish you were something else?

 

 

Please Write Another Book, Khaled Hosseini

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Afghanistan, authors, bestselling authors, bestselling book, great books, Khlaed Hosseini, literature

I was dusting my furniture this afternoon, and when I got to my bookshelf, I started to think about the books resting on them. I thought about how much I enjoyed each one, if I really wanted to see if the authors of those books had any other books out (I have so many to-read books on my other shelf that I am hesitant to add to it), and so on. But when I thought about the books, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Afghan novelist, Khaled Hosseini, I found myself wishing so much that Hosseini would put out another book.

Don’t judge me based on the design of my blog. As I mentioned in my previous post, I do read other genres besides urban fantasy/paranormal. I actually prefer books that take me somewhere else – be it another time in history, another country in the world, another dimension or subculture in our world, or even a country with an alternative history to it. Just take me somewhere different to my world, and have a great story to it.

Click here to buy book on Amazon

Hosseini certainly did that. From the moment I read the first words in each of his books, I was pulled in everything about Afghanistan – its people, its history, its conflicts, its heartbreaks. I really learned a lot about a country that was a big part of news reports for most of the past decade. I also was drawn into the lives of the characters he wrote about – Leila and Mariam, Amir and Hassan. They were so memorable and so real. I felt as though I was standing right in front of them, watching their scenes close-up and feeling everything they were going through. That is the definition of a great author, in my opinion.

That is why I would love it if Hosseini wrote another book. A Thousand Splendid Suns was published several years ago, and that was his last book. I understand Hosseini is now a UNCHR ambassador and works hard for his people these days, which can take up time to writing a new novel. It makes perfect sense, and I’m not disappointed in him. Priorities are priorities.

It is just Afghanistan has changed a lot since the Taliban fell in 2001, and I’m sure there are still some amazing stories that can be thought up that can take place during this period. I’m certain Hosseini can create another set of very real characters while telling the reader about Afghan history and society. His writing style is breathtaking and it really sucks you in – I can’t emphasize that enough. He has both a storytelling gift, and an educating gift – the perfect combination for any writer.

And if and when he ever does publish another book, I will be reserving my copy the minute I hear about – guaranteed!

Calling New Adult Indie/Self-Published Authors!

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announcements, authors, indie authors, interviews, self-published authors, writers

This is an idea I’ve had in mind for a few weeks, and now I am finally going to take action on it. I would like to start interviewing self-published authors, or those from small presses, here on this blog, and I have an open call for those looking for ways to gain exposure.

Why am I doing this? Mainly because I am getting itchy feet. I have a background in journalism, as well as an MA in the field, so interviewing and telling other people’s stories is practically my nature. Because freelancing was tough for me, I put it aside and got a full time office job that has allowed me to more financially stable with benefits. Great opportunity, but I really miss interviewing people.

I started to wonder what I can do with that need, and decided that since I am a self-published author and have this blog, why not start featuring self-published authors on it? This will be my way of contributing to the self-published and indie community, as we are supposed to support each other.

At the same time, I am a strong supporter for the New Adult category that is gaining momentum in the publishing world. In case you do not know, New Adult books are about characters between the ages of 18 – 26, and are living lives that reflect what happens in that age group – being independent, figuring out your future, having real relationships and real jobs, and all the drama that goes with it. These interviews will be a chance to promote the New Adult – or NA as it is known – to the world.

My goal for now is to simply give exposure to other authors and have potential readers get to know them. Since authors are supposed to not only market their books, but themselves as well, I’d like to provide that chance for them.

So, here is how I will do this:

• Every Wednesday, I will post a Q&A of a self-published author, preferably in the NA category. I will not have anyone who writes YA – that has enough exposure. I am open to writers who create characters that really don’t have a specific category, but NA will be a preference.
• Although this blog has a gothic atmosphere, and I write urban fantasy/paranormal, but I am open to other genres. I’m not someone who only reads about vampires and such; I do branch out into other genres when I read for leisure. Right now, I am reading Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey, which is an alternative history/fantasy series, so I wouldn’t mind profiling someone who writes a crime thriller, or a chick lit – but it has to be NA!
• You must have a book already published, or set to be released at a nearby date. No WIPs, and if your book is to come out next year, I’ll set you aside for a closer date.
• I will not be reviewing any books as I do not have the time to do so. Apologies!
• My questions will not be fluff. I won’t ask if you’re a cat or dog person, or a Pepsi or Coke person. I’d like to get to know you as a person and an author.
• Although interviews are not supposed to be subjective, I’ll talk a topic that you want. Meaning, if you want to talk about the ups and downs of writing your recent book, what you’ve learned while self-publishing, etc., please let me know so I won’t be all over the place with my questions.

So, if you are interested in this, drop me a line at megancashmanbooks [at] gmail [dot] com. I would like to have my first interview up by Wednesday, October 24th and post interviews each Wednesday after that. Please provide links to your website/blog, your social media profiles, and your book(s) so I could get an idea on who you are, and so will everyone else.

Hope to hear from you!

New Excerpt from “The Dark Proposal”

Tags

Book excerpt, eBooks, excerpt, horror, literature, October, paranormal, scary stories, scary story, urban fantasy, vampires

Still thinking about reading my urban fantasy book, The Dark Proposal?

There’s a new excerpt to be read and it could be found at Mywithshins for Susan’s October dedication to scary stories. If you are writing or have something published that falls under the scary story genre, feel free to contact Susan to see if she’ll feature you. She’s very approachable and enthusiastic about this homage to October, so don’t hesitate to ask!

It’s a short excerpt, but unlike the one used for my blog tour last month, this excerpt is taken from the middle of the story – where everything is different for Claire and Daniel.

 

NaNoWriMo is Right Around the Corner!

Tags

authors, NaNoWriMo, the writing process, writers

We’ve got 24 days until the annual National Novel Writing Month – or NaNoWriMo as it is better known as. I got my profile and novel information all ready. I participated last year and will take part again this year, though it won’t be as easy as it was before.

In 2011, I was unemployed, so I had plenty of time to devote my energy to writing my novel. I had already started what would become “The Dark Proposal” back in September, but hadn’t got as far as half of Chapter One. Luckily, NaNoWriMo gave me the kick in the butt that I needed to put my energy into going beyond those few pages and actually create a story that was initially done by April 2012.

This year, though, I’ll be facing a lot of obstacles. I now have a full time job, working 40 hours a week, so I can’t necessarily spend a few hours at any point in the day on my Work In Progress. I could try when I get home, but I also have to hit the gym, clean my apartment and squeeze in a social life. I already set aside three days a week to spend a couple of hours typing up my next book, but that won’t be enough to make it to 50,000 words by November 30th, unless I am highly energized and my muse had tons of Red Bull.

But that won’t stop me from doing my best and even joining write-ins on Staten Island and in Manhattan. Its great to write alongside of people who have the same interests and goals as you do, and it is also great to cheer each other on. That’s probably my main reason for taking part in NaNoWriMo this year – the social and encouragement part is much needed for all writers. We tend to be isolated since writing is a solo project. We also feel discouraged from time to time because creating a story with complex characters involved in a deep plot line filled with twists and turns is far from easy. It takes a lot of practice and cheering on to get through the process.

But I’m also going to participate this year as a nod to the challenge NaNoWriMo gave me last year which helped me really work at “The Dark Proposal”. I don’t know if I would’ve dedicated myself to the work as I did if it were for NaNoWriMo. So, me joining this year is a like a big thank you to whoever created the challenge.

As for anyone who wants to take part, but isn’t very sure if it would be worth it or if they’ll succeed, I say do it anyway! It is completely worth it! You truly become a writer during this month, and not someone who dabbles in the art and the craft. You learn and respect the blood, swear and tears that goes into process of writing a novel, and you may see your favorite authors differently. That, or any writer that you may know in life. And you will respect yourself more as a writer if you keep pressing on as far as you go.

Think NaNoWriMo as the Olympics. Not everyone wins during the Games, and a few get the silver or bronze. But every athlete will tell you that they are proud of themselves for at least trying and doing their best in a major challenge. Sometimes succeeding means doing your ultimate best, which leads to personal growth and more self-respect.

So if you write from November 1st to November 30th nonstop, good for you! And if you make it to 50,000 words or beyond, God bless you! You’re a true sport, you’re disciplined and you know how to overcome obstacles. But if you missed a few days or didn’t make it pass 30,000 words, don’t beat yourself up. You attempted something that seems daunting to many people and they shrink back at the challenge. You didn’t. You went in there and did your best. You now see yourself, writing and writers with a new perspective.

Perhaps that is what NaNoWriMo is really all about.

Good luck everyone! I’ll be here on November 1st and update periodically during the month.

 

 

What’s In A Name? Tidbits on “The Dark Proposal”

Tags

book characters, eBooks, Kindle, name meanings, names, novels, paranormal, tidbits, urban fantasy, vampires

I’ve always wanted to do a post about the tidbits and little things about my  book, “The Dark Proposal”. It’s just an opportunity to share with others with what went into creating this story and its characters.

I was reading an article on the Huffington Post about some old fashioned names making a comeback, and that made me want to talk about how I came up with the names of my characters. Names are fun to discuss for some people, so here we go:

Claire McCormick: main character
Meaning:  “Bright”
Reason Behind Name: When I picked the name for my main character, I wanted it to be related to vampirism and her journey through the vampire world. Since Claire is related to the word, “clarity”, there is a sense that the main character will not be a dimwit during “The Dark Proposal”, nor the two follow-ups I am working on now. Also, Claire means “bright” which brings up thoughts of light, and vampires are rarely out in the sunlight, so there’s the vampire connection. Furthermore, her Irish last name, McCormick, means “son of Cormac” an Irish name that means “raven”. Ravens have dark connotations, perfect for this urban fantasy book. Also, McCormick has the family motto, “without fear”, which also works in this tale.

Trivia bit: Claire’s original last name was not McCormick but Maguire, which means “white” – hence vampirism! I had to change the surname when I discovered there is a Claire Maguire in Great Britain who is a rising indie singer. Not wanting anything to go wrong, I changed the last name.

Daniel Bertrand, neè Poncher: second main character, Claire’s boyfriend turned vampire-tormentor
Meaning: God is my judge
Reason Behind Name: I wanted to make sure I was choosing a name that only reflected the character, but also was common even back in medieval France where Daniel originates. I did a little research and found that Daniel was a regular name among French men in the 1300s. That was perfect because I also didn’t want to have an entirely different name for this character when his true nature was revealed. A different last name was fine, but not a first name as well. By the way, Bertrand is a very common French surname, while Poncher was the surname of a Parisian bishop in the Middle Ages. I wanted a name from that era, and Poncher seemed to work.

Samantha DiCarlo: One of Claire’s two roommates
Reason Behind Name: Samantha is a vivacious person, and I think when we hear this name, we think of someone who is full of life and doesn’t mince words. Claire’s roommate/best friend doesn’t. For her last name, I gave Samantha a simple one, DiCarlo, so no one unfamiliar with the pronunciation of certain Italian names, would not be confused.

Monica Alejandrez: Claire’s other roommate
Reason Behind Name: I didn’t want a name too popular among Hispanics, like Sofia or Isabella, or too stereotypical, like Maria. I saw Monica was common among this group, so that was a good choice. For her last name, however, I was insistent on not giving her a too common Hispanic surname, such as Diaz, Hernandez or Rodriguez. To give her one of those names would take away her individuality and kind of allow her to be stereotyped as just another Latina. When I came across the surname Alejandrez among the list of Mexican Olympians during the 2008 Beijing Games, I knew it was perfect. Monica became her own person that way.

Ava McCormick: Claire’s infant niece and goddaughter
Reason Behind Name: Besides Ava being a popular name in the United States these days, it also means “life”. I think that is perfect given the circumstances the baby’s Aunt Claire faces in “The Dark Proposal” and will face in the two follow-ups. There is a sense of irony to have someone with the name meaning “life” in a book about vampires, but it will work out in the end.

As for the other characters, there wasn’t much thought given to their names. The two vampires who created Daniel – Hilde and Michel – were created on a whim, though I wanted the female to be German because I felt there were too many French overtones in this book (I am a bit of a Francophile, that’s why). As for the names of the other vampires, Antonius, Carys and Yvette, also on a whim.

When it came to Claire’s family, I wanted names that reflected the times they were born in. Her parents, Frank and Judith, are in their mid-fifties, so those names were common in their day. Claire’s older brother, Zachary, has name popular with boys born in the late 1980s. Same with Kristina, Claire’s sister-in-law, though I wanted to put a twist to it and use “K” instead of “Ch”.

Oh, if you are wondering about where on earth I got the names of the Five Brothers, the original vampires, well sometimes a little creativity can come in handy! 🙂

So, that is a behind-the-scenes look at my novel, and a chance for me to talk about names because I am so fascinated with name meanings and how they relate to the people who have them. I may do this again with all my future books! 🙂

Celebrating Banned Books Week

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Banned Books, Banned Books Week, Book banning, censorship, democracy, freedom of speech, Harry Potter, Lois Lowry, The Giver, To Kill A Mockingbird

This week – September 30th through October 6th – marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate the books that faced adversity from those who do not believe in freedom of speech or that readers can decide for themselves what content belongs in a book or not.

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When I find out which books have been put on the list of books that should be banned from libraries, bookstores, and other places where books can be found, it is amazing to me that those books are considered offensive. Some of them are based on historic fact, like To Kill A Mockingbird, which portrays racism in the South before the Civil Rights movement. Yes, racism is a painful subject, and institutionalized racism is a stain on American history. But should we really shield people, especially young readers, from those facts? If they don’t know what African-Americans went through in this country, they’ll never understand the world they live in today. Furthermore, if you’re going to teach students in history class that black people were second-class citizens in the U.S. at one point, but fail to have them read novels that go in-depth into the anguish that they went through, you are kind of being hypocritical in educating young people.

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Another example is the Harry Potter series. Some religious people feel the books promote witchcraft and the occult, which they believe violates their beliefs. OK, that’s fine. But why go on a campaign to ban Harry Potter from every library and bookstore in the country? I heard rumors of the books being burned during the height of the banning campaign. That is just silly! If you don’t want your child to read something that goes against the religion you are teaching them, then simply forbid them, not every child in America! This kind of book banning is just another case of enforcing personal beliefs on everyone else, which really is not very wise.

Lastly, one of my favorite YA books is on this list. The Giver by Lois Lowry blew me, and my eighth grade classmates away by making us think seriously and hard about a society so obsessed with being perfect that it turns its citizens into almost robots. This book won awards for making young readers think across the country, but it also caused a lot of controversy because it is laced with euthanasia and suicide. I agree those are troubling topics for anyone, but by having those issues in her book, Ms. Lowry made her readers think long and hard about the possibilities of that happening if such a society were to come into existence. As far as I know, no one became traumatized from The Giver. Most likely shocked, but I really doubt someone locked themselves in a room for days after reading this book. I also highly disagree with anyone who says the novel promotes euthanasia, because it really does not. Anyone who insists that it does probably did not read the book well or read it at all.

Anyway, those are the examples on why book banning is silly to me. There is no sense in keeping history a secret, or forcing your beliefs on others, or believing a book will radically transform the world. People are not that weak-minded or gullible, so please give readers credit.

It is also not part of democracy to ban books. Democracy is more than allowing citizens to choose their political representatives. It allows people to think for themselves and not be controlled by others. By having the freedom to read a variety of books, citizens will expand their minds and see their world differently, which could make the world a better place. Censorship only leads to shutting down those minds and not allowing progress to take place in society. It also does not give people the freedom to live their own lives in the way that doesn’t allow them to fulfill their destinies as human beings. So, there is no way someone can be for banning books and still believe in democracy.

Those are my thoughts about book banning during the 30th anniversary of the week that celebrates the works that caused delightful controversy in America. If you want to find out more about this event check out these websites:

American Library Association

Banned Books Week

National Coalition Against Censorship

And afterward, buy one or two books on the censored list and read them, and promote democracy!