A Peek into your Life- EJ Wesley

A peek into your life, is a segment spotlighting authors, specialists, and friends who brave my countless questions day in and day out. It's the best way I can share with you all, the many people who taught me the bizarre things I know, who satisfy my thirst for knowledge and adventure, and who keep me motivated.

Visit EJ Wesley at The Open Vein. I met him during a crusade (I know, scary stuff). I remembered his first comment and really, it just is so EJ that it says it all.

 "I can spot a fellow smart-arse a mile away. We're going to be great friends!"

Well, I didn't want to prove him a liar but at that point, I wasn't so sure. I had been treated pretty rudely by some bloggers and really, I didn't seen any friends in my future via this route. Luckily, his comment haunted me, made me feel among friends. It was so easy to be friends with this guy. If you visit his blog- and I suggest you do- you'll discover for yourself how open, honest, frank, and down to earth he really is. Plus! He's just a lot of fun to hang around. What more do you want in a friend? Besides, I like people who can predict the future like that. They come in handy.

I'm enjoying the Moonsong Series. Read them. All I gotta say. They made me laugh, sit up full of tension, and shove them at my friends. Quick, fun reads that leave you thinking, cool, can we do that again?

Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1:
Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble

Witch's Nocturne, Moonsongs Book 2:

Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble

Dark Prelude, Moonsongs Book 3:
Amazon
Smashwords

      Barnes & Noble

We're talking monsters, hunters, and some brave kickass characters. I laughed out loud at many of the thoughts Jenny has. What a character. My fav has to be the last one, and I don't want to spoil it for you, but it just didn't end how I expected it to, and well, I always like that. Being a writer I am hard to surprise.

Let's take a little peek into what makes EJ, well... EJ.

I know you've been visiting a lot of blogs these days promoting The Moonsongs Books, but I also know that as a writer, once we get in over our head, we just keep digging. So tell us, what are you currently working on when you're down in the trenches?
You definitely know how this works. *hands you the shovel so I can take a break* :) Let's see, I'm plotting out more Moonsongs stories, just started writing a contemporary New Adult novel I'm very excited and nervous about, and trying to keep up with the weekly New Adult Twitter chat I organize. Oh, and I'm still getting my feet wet as a new contributor to the New Adult Alley Blog. We're writers, yet we get so little time to actually write it seems. *takes shovel back and starts digging* 

Each character is so unique, I feel like I know them well and I'm always laughing with them or worrying about them. When Dark Prelude ended, I must admit, I was a little worried about Marshal, but then... well... I know he'll be fine, cause he's very well grounded. Kinda got me thinking that those are character traits I would like to have. You know? So that even when all hell breaks loose, others don't worry about me, they just know I'll survive cause I'm me. Which character do you see yourself being, or not being?

This is a tough one! I'll do the one I wouldn't want to be--mostly because all of the characters have so much baggage. I don't think any of them have what I'd call an ideal life. LOL So for me, the person I'd least want to be is Bill from the newest story, Dark Prelude. I really don't like that guy! He's ignorant, mean, on a constant power trip (he's a very BAD cop), and just kind of a miserable human being. Nobody wants to be THAT guy, and he is. :)

Ha! That he is. Stupid jerkface annoyed me too.

So what are you most proud of?  
Getting my Master's degree was a big life accomplishment for me. Neither of my parents were college educated, so even attempting higher education seemed like a leap from where I'd come from. Not only did I go to college, but I excelled and got an advanced degree. It really made me understand that so long as you're willing to work for something, and stick with it, there's really nothing you can't do--I guess I'm saying you're only limited by what you're willing to do. That has helped me in my life in a lot of ways, but particularly on my writing journey. 

What did you learn on this journey that you wish you could pass on to other writers?
YOU decide how your writing career/journey is going to go, no one else. It's going to seem like other people and things are constantly dictating what you can and can't do in this business. That's crap. We live in an age of doers, where your desire dictates your success.

Neil Gaiman did a fabulous commencement speech, and basically said, "Don't wait for permission, just do." So learn the craft, read lots, surround yourself with other writers who care only about writing and getting better, and write the stories you'd love to read. Don't worry about who's going to publish it or how. When that story is ready, there'll be a path. Take it.


Now that, is some kicka advice.

About the Author:

E.J. Wesley resides in South Texas. He holds degrees in psychology and counseling, but prefers to examine the heads of fictional characters over the living ones. He likes his food and his stories spicy, and tries to give a little extra 'kick' to paranormal, horror, and the other genres he writes. In true Texas fashion, he is very neighborly, and enjoys chatting about books, movies, music, and family. He is the author of the Moonsongs books, a series of speculative paranormal action novelettes, with a Texas twist. Say 'howdy' at:  Blog | Twitter | Facebook |Goodreads

Thanks for the peek EJ! Can't wait to read the next one.

Rewriting

Rewriting. It's probably the most magical thing I do. Apart from healing boo-boos with a kiss, I mean.

On a whim I decided to read my first manuscript-- after almost twenty years of pushing it aside on my shelf . With my new eyes I saw some interesting things. 

First, I pulled out the three characters that had enough tension between them to explode in an erotica. And well, I put them in one. Trust Me was born at the end of last year and is still a draft.

Then I took the stale plot and twisted it up with some magic, demons, and two new characters. I created an urban fantasy- Guardian of the Notebooks- with it that still needs an end, but I'll get to it shortly. If you ask me, this is the book it was intended to be, I just didn't know how to get there back then.

After all that, I decided the original amateur murder mystery was still worth saving and so I added it to my pile of manuscripts that need a rewrite and for now, The Donor sits in limbo, not in hell

It got me thinking about how my work evolves over time and well... I came across this scene in my cut pile that I thought I'd share just to prove how important everything we write is. It was from the first draft I wrote of a romance called Fire and Ice. I tore that romance apart, using parts of it in various novels, but the moment I saw this little paragraph I knew where I'd re-used it, even if it was an unconscious action on my part. I shared this scene before, but here it is at it's birth and maturity.

1ST DRAFT-2007 Fire and Ice

Melody’s body moved to the heat of the water and to my delight, every time I touched her, but still she slept. It was awesome, when at one point she mumbled “ice”.

           IN FINAL EDIT-2012 Finding Balance

Her body moved to the heat of the water and to my delight, every time I touched her. I took my time, tasting her, smelling her, whispering to her body. She had me so entranced that when she moaned I moaned back.

Her breath was sweet and her body heaved up to meet my hands.

“Markus.”

My world stopped.

What did she say?

Who the fuck was Markus?

Rewrites. Code word for magic. You ever go back and see how your writing evolved? What happened to your first manuscripts? Ever recycle scenes from dead books and turn them into ones you love?

Escaping the Snow

From four steps to a slide!

I am buried. I normally like snow. I never felt cramped by it or like I was gonna go berserk at any moment. But! The snow has piled up, inspiring depression and kicking all hopes of sunshine into the plow. I know there is a road out there, and hopefully beyond that-- life.

At least one of us enjoys this

And so I snooped in my photos for an escape. Something to remind me that it will end. That I don't have to pull out my tuque fuzz or break my shovel in half. Maybe a fun trip we took last year would remind me of the joys of this country...

I came up with a field trip to Lower Fort Garry in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was warm. It was fun. It was educational... and it inspired a story. What more can I ask for? Sounds like the perfect escape so I filed through the photos and decided to share a few.

So here I was, on a field trip with my daughter's class... just walking Lower Fort Garry, learning about Canadian History, actually explaining a few things we were seeing to the students since I did enough research on some of these time periods, I actually had my own stories to share when... a new story hits me. No clue where it came from.

I was standing here when the voices in my head took over.

 I actually heard the voice of the girl talking to a young man. She was looking out the the window to the right on the second floor. Her dress had lace that crept up her neck and her hair was half done in a braid. The young man, a hunter, stood in my shoes, a dead rabbit in his left hand, his bow gripped tightly in his right. He wipes at the dirt on his face, wishing he'd taken a moment to clean up. They are at that telltale point where they both know to look away. Yet... she leans further out the window and he steps toward her. I see her father through the window underneath her and he gets up to see what's going on. The story is so clear in my mind, I'm moments from breaking into a writing binge to get it all out.

That might be a fun escape from all this snow.

We even learnt how to make a bed.

The attention to detail make it a very life-like experience.

Even the detail in the yard added to the magic.

We learnt how to make a nail. But what was really interesting is that this guy was making the best pay in the entire fort. At about 40 bucks a year.

How do you survive the long winters like this one?
Have you ever found inspiration for a story when you didn't expect it?

Captain Underpants Changed my Life. You got a Problem with That?

Here's the challenge set to me by Teresa at Dreamers, lovers, and Star Voyagers ; I must pick my FIVE favourite reads and ask 5 friends to do so also.

As if right? I'll never do it. I know that before I begin. I always avoid this question. But! This was a challenge and I like to prove that I can do anything if I try really hard. So I scribbled down a list. Around twenty-five titles I just knew it was impossible. I would never cut this list back. In fact, I kept adding to it throughout the day. So then I thought, maybe I could do this by genre and pick my faves by genre. Still impossible, I like too many genres. And the reasons I like a certain historical are very different than the reasons I like a certain sci-fi. 

By author? Too many. Even picking one author I really like, I couldn't bring it down to five. There is a lot of good writing out there. I even tried by era. Not at all helpful, in fact it added to my list since I'd forgotten lots.

So then I asked myself, well, WHY do I like this book and want it in my pile? The whys were a little different and 5 jumped out at me.

So. Here it is. The 5 books that changed my life and my writing (both) in some way so significant that I just have to share them with you. 
 

THE FIRST BOOK THAT MADE ME WANT TO TELL STORIES:
The Haunting of Hill House By Shirley Jackson

I was probably in grade 7 when my wonderful English teacher pulled this one off the shelf of meager selection for me to try. (SHOUT OUT TO ALL THOSE WONDERFUL LANGUAGE TEACHERS.) I was already an avid reader and enjoyed a variety of books but this one hooked me in a very different way. I remember looking at storytelling with new eyes.

I keep thinking I should reread it now that I'm slightly older, but I'm scared to. What if it doesn't affect me the same way it did over twenty years ago? I'd hate to ruin the magic. I mean, when I put this book down my only thought was that one day, I'd be a storyteller, too.


AND WRITE THEM WELL:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne, Dave King

This book is one of many that gave me the confidence I needed to turn my quantity into quality. I chose this one because I found it pulled me from my closet and made me think, "I can."

This is my motivation. It is written in easy to follow English. It is fun to read. It works. And it means I can story tell in a way that doesn't make my wonderful English teacher cringe.

YET SAY THINGS MY WAY:

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn

There were actually LOTS of books that fit this slot. But I picked this one out of the bunch cause it is a shining example of the type of storyteller I want to be. It makes writing look easy. It breaks the rules. It had me so invested I was furious, breathless, frustrated, happy AND THEN.... it left me satisfied.

I don't actually remember putting it down until it was done which is what made me select it over a few others that I consider the best rule breaking fiction out there. It made me think, "Why am I following the rules? Just... tell the story the way it needs to be told."


WITH CHARACTERS WE RELATE TO:
You Can't Lie to Me by Janine Driver
This one changed how I write. It changed how people talk to me. It changed the way I look at people around me. (potential characters... um right?) I don't always like what I see or learn, but the truth hurts and this is a new element that I brought into my writing that adds flavour and nasty evilness. 

Anyone who was in my life while I read this book must have found me annoying, cause it was all I talked about. I use it all the time. I use it in my writing, in my business, in my life, with my kids. To start conversations... and to end them.
  


AND THAT CHANGE LIVES:
 Captain Underpants- the entire collection by Dav Pilkey 

Is there a child in you life? Heck with the age, the gender, just grab a copy of any of the Captain Underpants and snuggle up to read for a few minutes...

Magic will happen.

I was shocked. I still am. These books changed everything. They reminded me that the audience is the boss who every storyteller must please. WHO do we write for? Now I look at each word I write and ask myself if this is the right word for my target audience. Is it the magical one that will make them giggle, cry, cringe, keep reading. 

 But... it did so much more.
 
It added laughter in my life. Two giggling kids rolling off the bed means we will read this again and again. So far, we read the entire series twice. A book takes us two to three nights to devour. Next time they get to read it to me. We have voices that I can't get wrong. My oldest one quite often added in her two cents, reminding me that she is young enough to enjoy a goofy book, but old enough to know I should have used a much more boring tone when reading that Blah blah blah part. Come on, Mom! 

It brought us together as a family. It got my son to pick up other books in hopes they are THAT good. It got my daughter reading a series she likes to her brother. It made me take a look at what works in a book. It might be a silly book, but it changed my life, my writing, and left a wonderful scar on my children.

So now I'm supposed to pick 5 who I challenge to share 5 of their faves with us.Since I know how hard this is, I'm not going to point the finger. I challenge everyone. Dare you to try and find books that are your favourite and tell us why. Link back to me so I can read your list. Can't wait to see who wins this challenge.

Everyone else, who just isn't up for the challenge, well, what book changed your life and why?    

Looking for Gold

Like me, my dad had a hobby that turned into a passion, and lingered on the edge of addiction, but he hoped to make it a career. He flung around words that only those in his trade understood clearly. He made contacts, got educated in every possible way, even the art of magic. He spent countless unpaid hours, days, even years trying to get it right. He planned, schemed, marketed, sought help, invested, and sought more help. I wasn't always on the same page as him, but I caught the gist of it-- he was looking for gold.

Aren't we all?

Let me explain, because this post isn't about a madman searching for an easy dollar. There is nothing easy about dreams this big and it is never about the money. It's a promise of a better future for everyone they love, of achieving something so great no one can imagine the moment, it's worth dying for, living for, dreaming of, it's proof that you are, that you were, and that you wanted to be. It's what we all strive for, just in different forms. So yes, it is about a madman but his dreams were like yours and mine.

He collected these little nuggets. They weren't worth much. Each golden beauty was deformed, odd looking, but held a hope, a promise, and potential. They were symbolic of his search; results of the efforts he'd made so far. Some were flukes, luck in disguise, others were really, really earned, and some he could have never found alone. And as the pile grew, so did the stories and the hope.


In his search he found other things, that really made the journey worthwhile, yet he didn't quit. I suppose, at some point, his soul committed, and the rest of him couldn't back out. Even the noblest of us, who get up at two am to fight a fire feel this drive they can't explain. It's our blind search for gold and it doesn't make sense to anyone, especially us.

He would get frustrated and excited with the success of others. He wanted them to succeed because it meant he was close, and really, everyone deserves to achieve their dreams. Yet he felt if he'd have dug two feet over, that could have been him. Why was he so stupid?

Did those who succeed stop searching? "Of course not, once you find it, that's when the real work begins." What? Really? Was he serious? He did all this so he could work harder? Deep down, I knew he was right. I was doing the same thing.

Did his obsession blind him to life? Au contraire, it gave him a passion for everything. He was a horrible dreamer, but he was dedicate to the real world. Somehow, the two relate and I sit here because of that flawless unwavering determination, yet that hopeful dreaming.

As I look at my little nuggets, piled so neatly in the shape of manuscripts, I know the truth. There is no end to the search for gold and finding it doesn't mean everyone will live happily ever after. It means more work. I'll never have enough gold nuggets in my pile to justify the journey, and so in the end I'll just push them around and retell their stories. Because that's what every journey is about... a story we can't wait to share.

Enjoy each nugget.

What are yours shaped like? What does your search for gold look like?