Let’s talk a little bit about our fictional heroes.

First and foremost, your hero has to be heroic. I know this sounds pretty obvious, but it might not be.

What does it mean for your hero to be heroic? After all, if he’s the hero, then the story revolves around him and he’s the one we’re rooting for and so on. Right?

However, if he doesn’t act like a hero, will we still root for him? Maybe, but don’t we need or deserve more? Surely our heroine does.

Recently, I worked on a story for Crescent Moon Press that will be released soon, but it had a problem with the hero. Since it’s been fixed and the book is wonderful, I think I can tell you a little about it without revealing too much of the story.

In a nutshell, the heroine’s life is in danger from the hero’s brother. The brother literally tries to kill her a couple of times, and while she’s been able to get out of danger, the villain escapes each time.

At one point she tells the hero they have to do something. They have to kill the villain, to which the hero says no, and he gives her a talk about how murder damages your soul and turns you toward being totally evil (there’s a paranormal/demon/witch element to the book). He says he can’t kill someone because his soul will be irreparably harmed. Although it would clearly be self-defense, that doesn’t seem to change his mind.

The heroine asks him what they can do, given that the villain won’t stop until they’re both dead, and the hero tells her they will run. Run and keep running, moving around so the villain can’t find them.

At the end of that version of the story, the hero and heroine are, indeed, on the run.

Clearly, this is not the way a hero should respond to this threat. A hero needs to step up to protect the heroine’s life, and even his own. The idea of a “heroic sacrifice” is an important concept.

Your hero has to be willing to sacrifice even his own life, if need be, to protect the heroine, or even other characters. A real hero would never offer the heroine, the woman he loves, a life of moving around from one motel to another, for the rest of her life.

As I said, the author of this book fixed the problem and the book has a much more satisfying story line now. When the book is released, I’ll make sure you all know it because it’s a wonderful story.

Heroes need to be heroes. They might not be super heroes, Conan clones, or the strong silent types, but they need to be worthy of the heroine or at least, the title “Hero.”

Beta males are heroes, too. They might not have to kill someone to save the heroine’s life, but they still need to be willing to step up and prove they are the man she needs.

Make sure to give your reader a man she can fall in love with, whether he’s an ex-mercenary or a high school science teacher. Your readers will thank you!

Anyway, I thought maybe aspiring authors might benefit from some of the things I noticed in the books I’ve been working on.

The first thing, and this seems so simple, is that stories, regardless of whether you’re writing a stand alone or part of a series, need a coherent ending. I understand that your big picture might be a story that takes place over several or a dozen books, but each book has to have some kind of real ending.

Maybe you’re writing about an epic war between two huge fantasy empires, and this war will last for five or ten books. That’s fine, but each book also has to have a pretty big story that can be told completely in that book. Just because you stop writing does not mean the story – or the book – is over.

Every author makes a promise to his or her readers at the beginning of a book, the moment of first dramatic action. You promise your reader that that action is the beginning of a ride that will be exciting and fun, but most of all satisfying.

If you’re writing a mystery, you promise your reader that the murderer will be found and justice will be served. You don’t tell the story until three people have been killed, then end it with the idea that the next book will solve the crimes. Your readers will never pick up your second book because you lied to them. You promised to give them a satisfactory ending and you didn’t.

Now, you could write a series where a serial killer is tormenting a town or city and you don’t intend to reveal the killer’s identity until the third book, but that doesn’t mean you can end the first two without some kind of ending. You have to find a way to tell three distinct stories that will move the larger story forward. Each story, in itself, must have a beginning, middle and end, as well.

Think about Episodes Four, Five and Six of the Star Wars saga. Each one has its own story, its own end, but will moves the greater story forward.

For our purposes, though, we need to understand that each story provided a satisfying ending, while still leaving room for a sequel.

IF you are closer to my age and saw what we now call “A New Hope” in theaters, you just called it Star Wars and didn’t know there would be anything else after it. Coincidentally, there had been nothing like it in theaters in forever and it was a phenomenon, but we had no idea of the scope of the saga to come. When A New Hope ended, the Death Star had been destroyed. That was the satisfying ending. We had seen Darth Vader destroy Alderaan early in the book, so we had a picture of how horrible Darth could be, so when Death Star was destroyed, we were satisfied. The whole story had been leading up to that moment.

As a teenager, I missed that Darth Vader survived that last battle, so when I began to see “Darth Vader Lives” pins around, I was surprised and a little scared, let me tell you. Darth was a scary dude!

The point of all this was that there was enough of the story left to continue the saga, but if for some reason George had never gotten another movie made, we would have been happy.

There might have been this big rebellion against the evil empire, but the story focused on a small cast – Luke, Leia and Han and their goal of destroying the Death Star.

You have to do something like this with your books. Even with your epic war fantasy novel, you have to zoom in on a character or a handful of characters your reader can identify with and give them a story that you can tell in one book.

With the serial killer saga, you might focus one book on the main detective and her struggle to get her ex-husband to give her custody of her daughter. The Serial Killer story takes a bit of a back seat, but it’s always there, and you move it forward, too.

It might sound like a lot, and it is, but by weaving this stuff all together and giving your main character center stage, you are able to fulfill your promise to your readers while setting the stage for the next book.

You owe it to your readers to write the best book you can and to lay out your clues and hints and loose ends for your next book, without making them so big that the book doesn’t feel finished.

It’s a tall order but you do yourself no favors by taking short cuts. If you want the second (or third or fifth or tenth) book in your saga to get published, you need to make sure that each of the previous books have a good enough ending that if the series doesn’t go further, your readers will still be happy!

Get out there and write your book!

I am sure that’s a little over the top, but at least she liked it!

I’m so excited about this!

I’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Last March, and I may have blogged about this, I went to the Jambalaya Jubilee conference in Houma, LA. It’s a small conference held in a public library, and this was the second time I went.

This year I pitched Sword & Illusion to agent Cherry Weiner. She told me it was too long and I should cut about 29,000 words. (Yikes!) When that was done, I was to email her.

Well, Monday I did just that. I had spent hours cutting words from my book. I cut out several characters and, for a lot of writerly reasons, ignored that Attack of the Queen had ever been written. Ms. Weiner told me to “think series,” which was something I already was, and again, for those writerly reasons, I’ve chosen to make Sword & Illusion the first book of the series.

It will mean that the story that was told in Attack will move to later in the series and possibly will change appearance. I have promised my best friend (and inspiration for Adazzra) that eventually she will get her husband and children back. At this point, I’m not sure how that will all happen, however.

When I was first writing the book – We’ve been calling it S&I at home, but that’s going to be confusing because all of the books will be Sword & something beginning with I – I had seen it as the second book, so deciding to make it the first one meant that a lot of things changed, and everything was possible.

I was assuming Attack would be the second book, now titled Sword & Inferno, but events in Illusion make it necessary to deal with some things before I can get to Adazzra’s world and save it from the Vlaad.

My husband and I went through a list of I words to come up with some other titles. He doesn’t think Sword & Immunocytochemistries is a good title. However, right now I think book two will be Sword & Infidel due to how Illusion ended.

Now I’m faced with writing a book I have no plot for yet. I think this must be what successful writers face. I have never written a book that I didn’t have a story in mind for before I ever sat down.

However, it occurred to me this morning that people like Rachel Caine, Jim Butcher and Alyssa Day, who have long series of books with the same characters or related ones, probably don’t know all their plots before they begin. Heck, my friend Jo also pitched to Cherry at the conference and had synopses for three books requested and she had only written one and a half. She didn’t even know the plot of book three.

But she does now.

So, if I’m going to be a successful fantasy author, I need to be ready to figure out a plot from the ground up.

I’m excited but scared, too.

You can’t see the video anymore on YouTube, but it went viral because a lot of people think it’s the worst song ever and it got millions of hits with people going to see if they agreed. The song was even featured on Glee which blew me away.

My family was talking about this and I said, “Oh, yeah, cuz she’s getting rich off this. Crying all the way to the bank.” The single was released and according to Wikipedia sold 40,000 copies.

Then my husband asked a very interesting question. He asked how I would feel if Fabric of Faith (my inspirational romance which was published in 2004 and is still available although I haven’t seen any royalties for four or five years) sold a million copies because people thought it was the worst book ever written?

Well, at first I wanted to say, “Sure, cool, fine.” However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it’s not better the way things are now.

I mean, I want a publishing career, not just one bestseller. I want fans who wait breathlessly for my next book. I don’t know if that will ever happen, but if my book was a bestseller because people thought it was so terrible, wouldn’t that ruin my chances to actually sell something else?

I don’t know, but I wouldn’t want to risk it.

I don’t think I would.

But the checks would still cash, right?

Okay, now that the cheering and celebration is done, a little disclaimer.

The book, first draft was finished about 3 or so years ago and it went through a massive edti/rewrite/set aside period that included my husband reading the whole book and making comments. Then I went through the whole book again and found a MAJOR plot problem at the end that I sort of knew was there but had put it out of my head saying, “oh, it’ll be okay. No one will notice.”

Of course, they would and it messed up the great ending I’d wanted.

So, we had a big brainstorming session which led to major plot changes/fixes/etc.

So, that led to major rewriting and getting to a point where I edited and fixed each chapter individually and then he would read it and “declare” it finished.

THEN a month or so ago, I got to about the halfway point and had over 90,000 words declared finished or nearly so. We talked about cutting the book in half as it had come to a point that felt like an ending. Not to the whole story, but to that part of it.

When I decided to do that, it required a few more chapters/scenes to tie up a few ends and put a period on that part of the story, so that’s what I’ve been working on.

Last night, I packaged it all up (all chapters in one document run through spell and grammar checker) and handed it off to him.

He did tell me that he found a few minor problems in the first chapter, but when he’s done with it, I’ll take one last run through and start sending queries to agents.

I am getting my rights back to Attack of the Queen as that’s the first book in the series and while I love that Wings published it, I think I’m ready to move my career in a different direction.

Yay for me!

Current book – writing: Sword & Illusion
Number of chapters declared DONE – Thirteen
Number of chapters waiting for Beloved’s final read – Two (Fifteen and Seventeen)
Chapter that is done but not “declared” finished – Fourteen
Chapter working on – Sixteen
Current book – reading – Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy – almost finished and will have a review when I am
Next book to read – Poison Study

As you saw with my last entry, my daughter and I have become big library addicts. I spent this morning putting some books on hold. I love that I can do that from my home computer!!

When my husband got back from ArmadilloCon, he told me that the editors, agents and authors there said that Young Adult (YA) is expected to be the next big trend in books, something that I’ve been suspecting for some time.

To that end, I’ve been plotting out an idea I have for a YA fantasy novel. This may be a book that Honor Cummings writes with my husband. (Honor is the name I write fantasy under, so don’t be confused!)

Anyway, I’ve decided to try reading some YA fantasy novels for research. I looked up a list on Amazon and found a bunch of books.

Since moderation is not my best quality, I forced myself to limit my list to one page, so here it is. I don’t claim that these are the best or anything. Just a page of teen fantasies I plan to read:

1 Aurelia by Anne Osterlund – on hold at the library
2 .Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, Book 1) by Tamora Pierce –- on hold at the library
In the Hand of the Goddess (The Song of the Lioness) by Tamora Pierce – on hold at the library
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (The Song of the Lioness) by Tamora Pierce – on hold at the library
Lioness Rampant (The Song of the Lioness) by Tamora Pierce – on hold at the library
Cast in Shadow (The Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1) by Michelle Sagara
Cast in Courtlight (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 2) by Michelle Sagara – on hold at the library
Cast in Secret (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 3) by Michelle Sagara
Cast in Fury (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 4) by Michelle Sagara
Cast in Silence (The Chronicles of Elantra) by Michelle Sagara
A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) by Libba Bray
Rebel Angels (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy Book #2) by Libba Bray
The Sweet Far Thing (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) by Libba Bray
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beastt by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library
Sunshine by Robin Mckinley (although I don’t know if this is YA) – on hold at the library
The Door in the Hedge by Robin Mckinley
The Blue Sword by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library
The Hero and the Crown by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library
The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library
Deerskin by Robin Mckinley
Rose Daughter by Robin Mckinley –- on hold at the library
Spindle’s End by Robin Mckinley -– on hold at the library
Dragonhaven by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library
Chalice by Robin Mckinley – on hold at the library

If you know anything about these books or have any other suggestions, leave a comment and let me know! Thanks!

It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S., so let’s keep today’s question simple–What are you reading? Anything special? Any particularly juicy summer reading?

Right now, I’m reading Knock Off (A Finley Anderson Tanner Mystery) by Rhonda Pollero.

Other books in my to be read pile right now are:

1. Convicted of Love by Jo Templeton – a friend of mine and critique partner.

2. Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4) by Jim Butcher. The Girl has read all of them in this series (so far) and has been bugging me to finish them so she can talk to me about them. Oh, and so has my brother.

3. Figure 8 by Tammy Riviere, another friend.

4. The Manolo Matrix by Julie Kenner.

5. Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephanie Meyer. Another series the Girl got me hooked on.

6. Come Back, My Love by Sylvia Rochester, another friend.

7. The Prada Paradox by Julie Kenner.

8. Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5) by Jim Butcher.

9. Choice Makers by Eleanor Cocreham, another friend.

10. Real Vampires Have Curves (Glory St. Claire, Book 1) by Gerry Bartlett.

11. Real Vampires Live Large (Glory St. Claire, Book 2) by Gerry Bartlett.

12. Cranford (The World’s Classics) by Elizabeth Gaskell. I watched the program on Masterpiece of this book and I enjoyed it. Very different from what I usually read, but I’m eager to see what it’s like.

13. Marked (House of Night, Book 1) by P. C. and Kristin Cast.

I know God is always trying to tell me something! If there is anyone on this earth that needs to be told “something” by our Creator, it’s certainly me! I’m probably the slowest person to learn lessons.

However, today, I’m thinking more about in terms of my writing. In January 2004, my book Fabric of Faith was published by Wings Press. My friends in PA had a booksigning for me and one of them even started reading her Bible again after reading the book, so I’m humbled and pleased by the reception of this book.

To be honest, I don’t believe it’s the best book I could write, but God has used it for His glory and that’s all I need.

However, about a year or so ago, a friend here in Baton Rouge bought a bunch of copies to give out to friends and family for Christmas, even though she hadn’t read it yet. When she did, she asked if I was going to write another book about these characters.

I hadn’t considered doing that. This is a story God gave me and I feel it’s finished.  I’m in the middle of writing the sequel to Attack of the Queen, a book that screamed for a sequel.

Now, a friend of my daughter’s has read Fabric a second time and she’s been sending me messages via my Facebook page asking me to write another book about these characters. AND a woman who bought Fabric at a booksigning sent me a note saying she loved it and is letting all her friends read it and wants to be informed with I publish something else.

Granted, that last one isn’t a “clamor” but I’m wondering if I should think about a sequel. I’m in the middle of this book and have several I need to work on. Do I really want to revisit Mary Grace and Chance?

I don’t know. I prayed about it last night and I can think of some things I do with them, now that I’ve matured in my writing.

I never wanted to disrupt their happy little family before, but now I realize that I might have to make things tough on them to write another story for them.

Do any of you that have read Fabric of Faith (is there anyone out there?) want more about these people? Do you generally want to read more about characters you like?

If you’re a writer, have you ever faced the idea of writing a sequel when you hadn’t planned on it?

I will say this is kinda one of my writing dreams:  to have fans ask more more.