Muses and other absent catastrophes. Oh, and a giveaway!

12/09/2013 /

Iyana Jenna’s Muse Blog Hop

So today I’m talking about muses. 

Hmmm. 

It’s a tricky subject for me right now, albeit a very appropriate one, and one I should probably have talked about more so people know where I’m at. 

See, the thing is, I’m still not writing. It’s been about seven or eight weeks now – the longest I’ve ever gone without writing – and believe me, it’s not by choice.  You can see my earlier post about my broken brain  HERE. 

A few weeks ago, I had someone ask me how my writer’s block was going. And that got me thinking; is what I’m going through a form of writer’s block? 

Who knows?  Maybe it is, although I’m inclined to say no, it’s not. 

I’ve had writer’s block before, and this is different.  Yes, I understand that writer’s block probably comes in a hundred different shapes and sizes and is different for each person. I remember when I had writer’s block a few years ago, I would literally sit at my laptop with fingers on the keyboard, ready to write, keen even, and… and… nothing. Not a word, not a whisper. No direction, no idea.  My mind was a complete and utter blank. 

So what I’m going through now is different. I still want to write. I still have words in my head, my characters are still telling their story, and I have scenes, conversations, scenarios, ideas. 

But it’s like my brain has put up a sign that says AT LUNCH, BACK IN TEN MINUTES (or eight weeks, as the case may be).  Or better yet, a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door. Or maybe my muse collapsed of exhaustion and is now sitting on a beach somewhere with a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other. Maybe he’s in some nightclub, on his fourth cocktail and is now slow-dancing, grinding between a twink and a cub… wherever he is, he’s not here. 

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I can’t say I blame him. He’s been going non-stop for years. I just hope he’s ready to get back to work sometime soon.  I have deadlines that have long missed with my publisher, and another, invite-only publisher who is patiently waiting for me to submit something. I have two novel-length sequels to write and a plot-bunny folder that’s now a warren. 

All this being said, I’m trying really hard not to stress over it. I have to let this run it’s course and not fight it. After all, writing and/or creativity shouldn’t be forced. It ends up a hot mess if it’s squeezed out of ones brain, and I’d rather not release a book at all if it’s poorly written and something I wouldn’t be happy with my readers paying money for. 

My current WIP is Starting Point, the third and final book in the Turning Point Series. I’m 25K words into it, with about 40K to go. I’ve re-read what I’ve written, twice, so I know where it needs to go. It’s plotty and there’s stuff I need to get right; technical, legal and timeline wise. Nothing too difficult, but these boys need a proper HEA and I want/have/need to give them one. I adore Matt and Kira (and all secondary characters) I just need to find my rhythm again.

And now about the subject of muses… 

Music is my biggest source of inspiration. Music feeds my muse.

I normally have a song that embodies the mood or headspace of a character.  If I hear a character’s song, it will bring that character to life in my head. Such as Isaac Brannigan from Blind Faith’s  album is Adam Lambert’s Trespassing, and in particular the song Better Than I Know Myself, and every time I hear the line “I can be obnoxious at times” it  really makes me smile.  Blindside’s Mark Gattison’s song is Out on the Town, by FUN.

Cooper, from the Thomas Elkin Series, loves Linkin Park. 

So in the Turning Point Series, Matt’s song/music inspiration has been on a bit of journey.  In the first book, Point of No Return, his album for inspiration was Thirty Seconds to Mars’ This Is War; any of those songs are a good match for Matt.  The sequel, Breaking Point’s song that brings Matt to mind is Thirty Seconds to Mars’ End of All Days 

“A beautiful liar
Love for him is pain
The temples are now burning
Our faith caught up in flames
I need a new direction
Cause i have lost my way”

These lyrics sum Matt up in Breaking Point.

The third book, Starting Point, is a mix.  Matt has more of an acoustic feel in the third book.  Like Matt Corby’s Resolution

Yes, in this post I’ve concentrated more on the Turning Point series, because that’s where my head is at right now. But as part of Iyana Jenna’s Muse blog hop, I’ll be giving away a copy of Elements of Retrofit!!  

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HOW TO WIN

So to enter for your chance to win a copy of Elements of Retrofit, just comment below and tell me what song reminds of you of a character in any book you’ve read.  I’ll be picking a winner on 10am Saturday (14th September)  Sydney time. 

The link back to the Muse Blog Hop is Iyana Jenna

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17 Comments

  • Iyana Jenna

    12/09/2013 at 9:56 am

    Thank you so much for sharing and music also inspires me. One of the songs I last had for my story is When You Love Someone by Bryan Adams. So lovely. 🙂

    Thank you again for participating and I hope your writer’s block leaves soon.

  • Jen Mathews

    12/09/2013 at 10:27 am

    I think every character I have ever read has a mental theme song I’ve assigned to him or her. LOL The one that stands out in my mind this morning is “It’s Been Awhile” by Staid, which always make me think of Qhuinn from the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. I heard it on the radio the other day, so that’s probably why it’s standing out in my memory. Hope your muse returns to you from his extended lunch break, Nic! 😉

  • Traci Kurtz

    12/09/2013 at 11:44 am

    Aaron Lewis’s Tangled Up In You makes me think of Dex & Kane from Amy Lanes Dex In Blue. They are gentle but fiercely protective of each other & have been rejected by both of their families. They love each other so much & know each other so well that they truly are a part of each other by the end of the book. I hope your muse comes back soon.

  • Emma (@_emma_ro)

    12/09/2013 at 1:17 pm

    I have never, personally, been able to connect music with characters or books but I have to say that I completely agree with your Isaac song. Better Than I Know Myself sounds like it was written specifically for him.

    -Em <3

  • Trix

    12/09/2013 at 9:30 pm

    Todd Rundgren’s “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” evokes so many m/m romance dynamics to me…that whole lovestruck-but-wary feeling, and it sounds very pretty but has its dark and urgent moments!

  • L J Harris

    13/09/2013 at 11:41 am

    oh I hear you regarding the “out to lunch” analogy. My boys are taking themselves a break as well. I love how you are inspired by music, particular songs resonating with your characters. I just know that when your boys return, they’ll not only let the words flow out once more, they’ll bring back a coffee for you as well. 🙂

  • Andrea M

    13/09/2013 at 2:06 pm

    I’ve been thinking for 2 days and just can’t connect anything other than It’s Five O’clock Somewhere and that connects with a whole lot of characters so I’ll just pick a few. Keith in Lovegames by Jules Aedin, Dale in Meet Me in the Middle by L.A. Witt and the whole group
    in When Love Takes Over by Jacob Flores.
    And then there’s Bolero by Ravel but I connect that to a series of books, not specific characters; the series is Blue Notes by Shira Anthony.

  • stargazer60

    13/09/2013 at 2:17 pm

    Hi, I thought my comment got posted but it didn’t. I write but only as a hobby…but have had a block for a really long time. To summarize: I wrote as a teen, then life got in the way, but rediscovered and wrote a couple fanfics in my late 20’s…then more life getting in the way. Picked it up again in 2006. Had a whole story, and was going at it until I realized I had written the characters into a corner they couldn’t get out of. but! I came up with a new storyline that would work! YAY! Then..one of the minor characters wanted HIS story told, so I wrote that..and finished! Posted it on my livejournal in June 2010.

    So then I had to go back to the original story (the sister of the guy in the story I finished). I can’t remember when I fell off the writing trail. I did a good job with a mini nanowri last November. It sucks because I have the ENTIRE story in my head, I just need to get it all down for my own satisfaction. (I have SO MANY NOTEBOOKS of handwritten scenes — Yes, I’m VERY old fashioned!). I keep saying I’m going to spend a weekend typing that up, but it isn’t done yet.

    Anyway…I love music as a source to go with the writing. The story I posted on LJ, I have a song attached to every single chapter. And have song titles written down to go with the other story as well.

    And yes, I do have other stories in my head I want to get to (I sent Kyle and Tyler on a gay cruise and I want to write that) but I owe it to Ramona to finish her story first.

    Sorry for the lengthy comment.

  • Ashley E

    13/09/2013 at 6:43 pm

    Hearing Evanescence’s Wake Me Up Inside always makes me think of Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas, specifically in the second book, Brother Odd. It just fits.

  • kindlekrazek

    14/09/2013 at 12:39 am

    I recently re-read “Three’s Company,” and while it may be a cliche, I couldn’t help but think of the song “Who’s Sorry Now” during the last scene with Rod.

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