Don't Wait – Write
Hi. My name is P.L. Blair, and I write a series (Portals) of
urban fantasy/detective/whiff of romance novels. Creatively Green Mom is
hosting me today during my virtual tour of Sister Hoods, book 4 in the
series. Today I'm sharing my thoughts on why I don't believe in Muses, and why
there will never be a “right moment” to write that book sitting in the back of
your mind.
So often the first words I hear from people when they learn
I write books is … “I've got an idea for a book, but I just don't have the
time” … Closely followed by, “I've got an idea for a book, but I'm waiting for
my Muse.”
Chances are, those books will never be written. Books
don't get written by thinking about them, or by waiting for the “right moment”
to suddenly descend like the ancient Greek gods coming to the rescue in their
miraculous chariots. Except for a brief four years during which I wrote books 2
and 3 in my series, I've worked as a reporter for more than 30 years.
It's the best training I could ever have had. First …
newspaper editors and news directors are notorious non-believers in “The Muse.”
They believe in Deadlines. “It's 9 in the morning and the story's due on my
desk at 10.” That's great training in the fine art of Getting Words on Paper.
Not the same as writing books? Especially fiction … Well, yes and no. What you
learn under the pressure of deadline, even if it's self-imposed, is how to get
the idea into visible form. Later you can go back and tweak a word here, add a
sentence there. The writing doesn't have to be perfect the first jump out of
the gate. All it has to be is … Visible. Now you've got your foundation laid.
Second, news writing teaches you that you don't need
that “perfect moment.” My first novel, Shadow Path, was written while I
was putting in 45 to 50-hour weeks (sometimes more) on a daily newspaper.
Rather than waiting until I “had” time, I made time – Get up an hour or
so earlier in the morning, squeeze in a few minutes during lunch breaks, write
during the evenings instead of vegging out in front of the TV. Put in a couple
of hours or so on Saturdays and Sundays, or when I had days off for vacation or
holidays.
Is it easy? Not really. And you certainly won't get that
book whipped out as fast as if you had unlimited time in which to write. But if
you've got a book nagging at you, demanding to be written, you can make
it happen. And while the book may take a year instead of a few months … What
will you have in a year if you don't start writing now?
Do you want to write a book? What can you do to make that
happen?
Sister Hoods
Portals
Book Four
P.L. Blair
Genre: Urban fantasy/detective/light romance
Publisher: Studio See LLC
Date of Publication: October 2013
ASIN: B00GC5BRI6
Number of pages: 292
Cover Artist: Pam See
Mike Roberts photographer
Book Description:
A bank robbery in Rockport, Texas, sends Corpus Christi police detective Kat Morales and her elf partner, Tevis, in pursuit of a band of nymphs and satyrs. The answer to their initial question - why nymphs and satyrs would rob a bank - only leads them into a deeper mystery in an enchanted woodland on the South Texas coast.
And while he and Kat try to save the woods from an evil wizard and a deadly wyvern, Tevis finds himself engaged in a personal struggle with potentially disastrous consequences: He is deeply, irrevocably in love with his partner ...
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/gCn0H3IlNGs
Excerpt:
Malthius sat at the
island counter in his kitchen and slowly consumed the dinner he'd prepared for
himself, scarcely tasting. The television reporter – or whatever Humans called
people in her position – had promised the “latest information on the bodies
found near the old courthouse at the top of the hour,” which, Malthius
inferred, meant the start of the news program at six o'clock.
The Wizard had sunk into what Theronius aptly called one
of his “foul moods.” Malthius had reason for it: first, Edwin calling to say
the Elf and Human woman would be at Summerfield Investments offices in the
morning, then this clamor over the bodies. Who would have thought that thirteen
people who meant so little while they lived would become the focus of so much
attention because of their deaths?
Still, Malthius took a certain grim pleasure in these
moments. Adversity, threats to his plans, sharpened his senses. He felt more
focused, more alive at such times. He watched the drivel that Humans called
“commercials” – though in truth, he found some of them more entertaining than
the programs they financed – then, finally, the music that meant the newscast
was beginning. People were introduced, males and females simpering at the
cameras, then a camera focused on a dark-haired young woman whose name Malthius
ignored.
“And at the top of our news,” she said, “Corpus Christi's
Mayor Janelle Hardesty announced the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken
an interest in the deaths of thirteen homeless people, seven late last night in an underpass near the old
Nueces County Courthouse, and six others found dead several days ago in
Lovenskiold Park.” Behind the young woman, an image appeared on the screen of a
woman perhaps middle-aged as Humans measured years, light brown hair graying at
the temples, standing at a podium, a microphone in front of her. “The
announcement came in a news conference on the steps of City Hall at two o'clock
today.”
The view shifted from the dark-haired newscaster,
tightening on the older woman, presumably Mayor Hardesty. She spoke: “We are
confirmin' that the deaths of the seven people last night are connected to the
deaths of six people several days ago in Lovenskiold Park. All of the deaths
are related to a case bein' investigated by the FBI. A special team sanctioned
by the FBI and headed by their agent Arvandus is in Corpus Christi ...”
Arvandus? Malthius managed to swallow the bite of
meat in his mouth without choking, scarcely tasting it. Had the woman actually
said the name Arvandus?
That was … impossible.
About the Author:
A native of Texas, now living in Sheridan, Wyo., P.L. Blair divides her time between two careers. As P.L., she writes a series (Portals) of urban fantasy/detective books that, recently, including elements of light romance. Published books include Shadow Path, Stormcaller, Deathtalker and Sister Hoods. Her fifth book is now with her publisher, and she is working on Book 6. As Pat Blair, she's a reporter for Sheridan Media, an organization that includes nine radio stations and an online news publication at sheridanmedia.com.
She's also “mom” to three dogs and a cat, all rescues, and is an avid reader, an occasional painter, and loves doing research. A lover of horses, she researches American Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred pedigrees as a hobby. Another hobby is history, and she's been the lead writer last year and again this year for Sheridan Media's “Sheridan Chronicles” history publication.
Web site www.plblairauthor.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/plblair
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/plblair/
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