Movie Dream Cast, Binge-Watching, and Writing - My Inteview With Mercedes Fox

Bella Thorne is the perfect Daisy Darling!

Who would be my dream cast if my books were made into a movie?

Why do I write?

What am I currently binge-watching?

I spill all in my interview with author Mercedes Fox.

How to Write A Fantasy Book and Have Fun While Doing It

It wasn’t until I stopped writing for the market and started writing what I really wanted to write did I realize that I was writing fantasy. And the more I wrote, the more I loved writing about magic, other worlds, and supernatural creatures. Simply put, I was completely in love with the limitless possibilities for imagination. But how does one write a fantasy book exactly? Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned on my publishing journey:

Love Fantasy: Write what you love. If you genuinely love fantastical things and stories, it will show. You’ll also be more likely to create an original story since you’ll have a good idea of what’s already been done.  

Read Fantasy: Not all Fantasy books are 5,000 pages long. Not all are cheesy. Not all have orcs. There are actually dozens of Fantasy sub-genres. Find the sub-genre that inspires you and study the popular books in these categories. See what other authors have done and study how they did it. While writing my debut novel, Strange Luck, I was reading several Neil Gaiman books, The Neverending Story, The Princess Bride, The Maze Runner, and lots of H.P Lovecraft. These groundbreaking books really pushed me to try to think outside the box. Plus, they are so much fun to read! It also doesn’t hurt to watch fantastical movies to help get your creative juices flowing. 

Do Your Research: If your story is completely fantastical, anything goes, so have fun with it! Do you want to have a character who shoots rainbows out of her eyes? Go for it! Why not? It’s your story and as a fantasy author, you have the power to create something original and imaginative. However, if your story is set in a specific period of history, like medieval times, research medieval life and get your facts straight (e.g., types of clothing, food, décor, etc). If something magical happens in the story, like there’s a sword that doesn’t behave like a real one, be sure to explain its magical properties.

Map It: Planning a magical world is hard world. Mapping your world with pen and paper will help you write about places and their characteristics more accurately. If you’re more advanced, use map making software. Including a finished map in your book or on your website is an awesome extra for readers. 

The Rules: Figure out the rules of magic in your story, including limits. If a character can do absolutely anything, then there will be no suspense or struggle and your story will flop. Let your readers know what the most important rules are and be sure to follow them. Let your protagonist conquer obstacles and solve problems based on his or her abilities. 

Be Original: Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones—they’ve all been done. Be creative and use your imagination to create something never seen before. Remember, it’s fantasy, so anything goes!

Keep Your Story Moving: It can be so much fun to create worlds and creatures with their own histories, geography, and supernatural rules, but sometimes these details can overshadow the actual story, leaving you with a lot of awesome detail, but with a story where nothing is happening. Your main character(s) should have a goal or problem that they need to solve. Throw in some complications and you’re on your way!

Share Your Story: The most important piece of advice I can give any author is to have other people look at your work. No matter how many times you’ve reviewed your story, there will ALWAYS be an inconsistency or error. That’s just what happens when you’re so close to something. Give your book to family and friends to read and ask for their honest opinions. Once you’ve ironed out some bugs, give it to people who love to read fantasy and see what they think. If you’re struggling to find people to read your story, join a local writer’s group or look for one online. Once you’ve ironed out any remaining issues, it’s time to hand it over to a professional editor.

Good luck on your fantastical writing journey! 

Have you checked out my other posts on writing? You might enjoy these, too:

How to Write A Novel, Part 1: Let The Journey Begin

How to Write a Novel, Part 2: Brainstorming, Drafting, and Getting Organized

How to Be a More Productive Writer

How To Start A Book Club

Looking for like-minded book lovers? An excuse to geek out over cocktails? Whatever the reason, starting a book club is very rewarding. I recently decided to start my own, but had no idea where to begin. If you're in the same boat, check out these tips to get started:

Pick A Theme: Go with the genre(s) you are most excited about. Can't decide? Have your book club read the classics or the top books of the year. If you really want to do something different, try a blind date with a book. Books are wrapped in brown paper so you can't judge a book by its cover.

Spread the Word: Shoot for 5-15 people to join. Ask friends and coworkers and anyone else you think might be interested. Post a flyer at your local bookstore, library, or cafe. Also, check out Goodreads, Meetup, and Reader's Circle. As soon as someone expresses interest, ask them the best day/time to meet and if they have any book suggestions related to your theme.

Arrange It: Evenings tend to be the popular choice to meet. Poll the group to determine how often and where you'll meet. If convening in your home, will you serve snacks/refreshments or make it a potluck? If you're meeting in public (cafe or library), do they allow outside food/drinks? Could you snag a discount? There's also the option for membership dues which can go towards purchasing snacks, etc.

Send Guidelines in Advance: Give people an idea of what to expect. Include how often you'll meet (once a month is typical), how long the meetings will be (usually two hours), what they need to bring, what the level of participation will be, and any other need-to-knows.

The First Meeting: Depending on the seriousness of the group, your first get-together can be a simple meet-and-greet where you can discuss and poll book suggestions and the order in which you'll be reading them. Or, if you want to dive right into the discussion, be sure to give the title ahead of time and do a bit of research on the author, time period, and any interesting tidbits. You'll also need to determine who will be moderating. As the group gets going, every member should have a voice. It's also nice for the moderator to send a reminder a few days before the next meeting.

Keep It Interesting: If your club is reading Harry Potter, have members dress up as their favorite character. Not into dressing up? Themed food is also fun. If you're reading a popular book turned movie, arrange to see the movie after you finish the book and then discuss the similarities/differences. Don't forget that there are a zillion book club Q&A spreadsheets out there if you're having trouble coming up with questions or getting the convo going.

Engage and Track Online: Consider joining a communal site like bigtent.com or Real Simple's No-Obligation Book Club. Members can post thoughts/questions and you'll save time by eliminating  group emails.

Happy reading...and don't forget to sign up for my newsletter. You'll be the first to learn about giveaways, events, and other cool stuff!

What I'm Watching

Zero. That's the number of times I've ever had cable. Shocked faces and plenty of "no ways!" are common reactions when I tell people that I'm cable-free. Yes, I may be old school, but I still  binge watch TV shows. I like to think of Netflix and Amazon Prime as cheaper, customized cable without commercials. Yay! And so, I thought today's blog would be about TV shows I'm currently enjoying and share my recent binges. 

Watching Now

Penny Dreadful: A dark and gothic Downton Abbey, brimming with mystery and horror.  It's so incredibly weird and shocking, especially how they weave in classic horror and literary characters like Frankenstein and Dorian Gray.  The acting, sets, costumes, and cinematography are exemplary. My eyes are glued to the screen! It can get pretty graphic, so younger folks should probably stay away.

3rd Rock From The Sun: I'm aware that this is a strange follow up to Penny Dreadful, but sometimes you need to balance things out with a little comedy. I probably watched this show once or twice growing up and didn't really remember it. When I saw that it was added to Netflix, I watched the first episode on a whim. Now, I'm on season 6 and don't want it to end!! I love that each episode focuses on something about the human condition and that they put a funny and witty twist to it. Maybe it's my anthropology background, but I absolutely love observing the family's reaction to our cultural norms. 
 
Recent Binges

Vikings: I was literally on the edge of my seat watching this series. It got to a point where I couldn't watch it before bed anymore because it would fire me up too much. I absolutely love the power dynamics, political maneuvering, history, commentary on religion and power, and learning more about the Nordic/Pagan culture. It doesn't hurt either that Ragnar and Rollo are eye candy. Lagertha (right) is bad ass and I want to be her! I so want to get a rune tattoo now. Oh, and did I mention that my puppy's name is Loki? Warning: The theme song is super catchy and will stick in your head for months!

Black Mirror: A darker, much more twisted Twilight Zone with a technological-paranoia bent. It's scary because a lot of it could very well be true in the near future. Each episode is very different, and some are more graphic and freaky than others. I recommend watching Season 2 first.  Younger folks should probably stay away from this one.

Death Note: I've never been a fan of Anime before, but decided to give this one a go. Death Note is a very clever, original, and thought-provoking story with dark undertones. You really have to pay attention to detail, so you may need to rewind a few parts, especially since the subtitles can be fast. 

Most of these were recommendations people made to me, so please feel free to share yours below :)