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Jess Granger, I Get By…August 29, 2009 at 5:00 am | Category: Guest Blogger, blog
First of all, I want to thank Sandra for inviting me here today. I met her, (over and over (okay I must have been subconsciously stalking her. I couldn’t help seeing her everywhere.) at the RWA National Convention this year. She’s a naturally open, friendly, smart, fun and beautiful lady. I had a great time at the convention and really enjoyed our conversations. I did a lot of people watching during the convention. You can tell who’s comfortable talking with and meeting new people. I love meeting new people. I love making new friends. I’m so excited to get random emails from people I don’t know, if they want to talk about the book. That is awesome. Maybe this thirst for getting to know people is part of what drives me to create new characters. I love my hero and heroine, but for me, sometimes it is the supporting cast of secondary characters that makes or breaks a book.
Here’s the blurb. In a universe torn apart by civil war, a warrior and a slave must fight for their freedom, for their lives, and for a love that may destroy them both… After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her homeworld of Azra as one of the Elite — the celibate warrior sisterhood that rules the planet. But first she must complete one final mission to rescue her fellow Union soldiers. The last thing she expects to find is a prisoner, chained and beaten — but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit… Soren is a Byralen, an enigmatic people who possess a unique hormone that they use to bond with their mates — and that is sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. For years, he has endured torture at the hands of his captors as they leeched his very essence. The last thing he expects is to be freed from slavery by a beautiful warrior woman with radiant blue eyes. Driven by her rigid sense of honor, Cyani frees Soren even though her life hinges upon the success of her mission. But after so many years in bondage, his hormones are so unbalanced that he will die if he does not bond with a woman. Can the lovely but distant warrior be the woman he needs to survive, or will the forbidden bond destroy them? While Beyond the Rain is at it’s heart and core a Romance, and the focus is clearly on Soren and Cyani, I had a great time filling out the book with some interesting secondary characters. Some of them will continue on into their own stories. From Cyani’s loyal soldiers Hatch and Tola, to the exotic and slightly cocky Makkolen prince, Kaln, or the rugged smuggler-captain Xan, I find myself drawn to the secondary cast of men as inspiration for future books. How could I not? They’re all so darn sexy. Especially Xan. He’s trouble, I can tell. However, at least two women, perhaps more, might have a story of their own in there somewhere. I just don’t know what relationships with my characters will turn into long and interesting friendships that inspire full novels, and which ones will be a pleasant conversation or two, then nothing more. Sometimes that’s the way life is. I certainly hope some of the people I met, *ahem Sandra* turn into enduring friends, but I’m glad for the ones that come in and out of my life as well. Like characters, we all have our place in the story. I just hope to make the story as exciting and romantic as I can. It’s been a pleasure! Jess |
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On August 29th, 2009 at 8:36 am, Sandra Barkevich said:
Jess,
Thank you so much for joining us at Sandra’s Goings On and for the wonderful post. *I’m blushing a Bit* It was a true pleasure meeting you too!
I agree, I love, love, LOVE to meet my new characters. Though, I have to admit, I might like meeting and fleshing out the villains just a tad more than the regular characters. Not sure what that says about me. Hahahaha! It’s just that villains are cool in that they have no “rules” to follow. They can be and act totally within their own personal limits. And that’s what I find so much fun. Trying to find those limits. Villains can be cool.
Now, as for secondary characters. YES! They rock! Do you find they sometimes take over in your stories…well, not take over the story, but as you’re writing them, they “say” don’t you think *I* need a story too?! And then your writerly mind, which is supposed to be working on your current wip, begins to explore all the cool details that would make up their story? That’s what happens to me, anyway.
I can’t wait to pick up Beyond the Rain. The blurb had me hooked, but then you mentioned all these fabulous secondary characters (Love their names!) and well…Stopping by the bookstore this week!
Thanks for being a guest here and for being a new friend!
Sandy
On August 29th, 2009 at 9:28 am, Ella Drake said:
Great post! Can’t wait to read Beyond the Rain and meet all those intriguing characters.
On August 29th, 2009 at 9:53 am, Jess Granger » Blog Archive » Guest Blog Post said:
[...] by and say hello to the lovely Sandra Barkevich. She graciously invited me to post on her blog today. We’re talking about our secondary [...]
On August 29th, 2009 at 10:02 am, Jess Granger said:
Thanks for inviting me, Sandy!
One character from Beyond the Rain almost took over, and yes, I had to write the sequel about him. And Wow, did he ever live up to his own story. Yowsa.
I’m not sure if I love meeting my villains. I do love killing my villains in nasty ways. I’m a little twisted that way.
On August 29th, 2009 at 10:09 am, Sandra Barkevich said:
LOL! Well, yes, I like to kill my villains off too. But, ever since I ventured into writing the villain’s POV, well…There’s a whole new level in that. And I find it so interesting and, yes, fun. So, I guess I’m a bit twisted too. LOL.
Sandy
On August 29th, 2009 at 10:35 am, Inez Kelley said:
I love villains with depth!
Secondary characters mean so much, they are the support structure of a story, you know? Without them, the MCs have to carry so much more alone.
Sounds like a great read!
On August 29th, 2009 at 12:29 pm, Jess Granger said:
I think every secondary character I do, I ask myself if I could do a story for them. Some are easy. Some surprise me. I never thought I’d do a story for my hero’s sister, yet here she is. She didn’t demand a story either, she’s not that type. This story came to her as it came to me.
On August 31st, 2009 at 4:39 pm, Laurel said:
Hello Jess
I am excited to begin your book, what absolute fun.
I’m about to start writing a novel, and I still am not sure who the main character is? Shall I just choose, and hope for the choice to be fecund? As I type this, I think I know who has top billing. But it would also be wonderful to tell the story from the other character’s POV. As you can see, the tension of the opposites have not yet constellated into a mysterious third, that clearly knows which one to choose.. Thoughts
Thank you,
Laurel
On August 31st, 2009 at 9:03 pm, Jess Granger said:
Well, the first thing I’d do is write the book in third, and practice POV transitions between your two characters. That way you can write the story for both characters. One doesn’t have to have top billing over the other. I didn’t pay any attention to that while writing Beyond the Rain. I was writing two people’s story.
It turned out I focused a little more on Cyani’s growth, but I didn’t figure that out until the book was done.
On September 1st, 2009 at 12:55 pm, laurel said:
Hi Jess
Thank you. I quite like your suggestion. I’ll begin navigating, in the direction you suggested, as soon as I click submit comment..
Wish you POV class was Now.
Journey well,
Laurel@SymbolicBridging.com
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