As many of my older blog readers know, last September was all about books for me.I blogged about books, talked about books, slept with books under my pillow, etc.

This year, we're doing something a little different. I'll still be posting reviews, and talking about books of all kinds, but I have a new twist. Introducing....

Here's how it goes. I challenge you, our loyal and wonderful readers to read at least one banned or challenged book this September.  And not only read it, but review it on your blogs, webpages or Goodreads.

And to help you out, I've set up a new site: http://readabannedbook.weebly.com.  You can sign up for the challenge, and leave links to the reviews when they're up.  I will collect the links and post them on the site.

The site even has lists of banned and challenged books to assist you in choosing one to read.  If you want to sign up, go HERE.  And if you want to help spread the word, I've made a handy-dandy invitation that anyone can copy  and post on their blog.

So that's the Banned Book Challenge. Who's in?

 This is reposted from a six-part character series that I did on my blog, Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes. I'll be posting the other bits of the series over the next week or two. Enjoy!
__________

Catalyst: a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.

Some of you right now are reading the title of this post and scratching your heads.  Why am I talking about catalysts in a post about characters? Aren't catalysts, or inciting incidents, as some people call them, part of the plot?

Well, yes.

But in fiction, as in real life, incidents don't just HAPPEN. People make them happen. Sometimes a lot of people make something happen, sometimes it only takes one. And even when an incident can be classified as an Act of God, the effect of the incident depends on the people involved.

To use a recent example: An earthquake in a desperately poor country like Haiti will have a different effect than one that strikes New York or LA, because the people and culture involved are different.
__________

Remember in the first post of the series when I asked you "Who has the power?"  Well, figuring out which of your characters is the catalyst is a good way to find out who has the power. Or to give power to a character that needs it.

You can have more than one catalyst in a story, in fact, most stories have at least two.  In the movie, The Mummy, the catalyst for the main conflict is when Evelyn reads from the Book of the Dead and releases the mummy.  But the catalyst, or inciting incident for the story itself, is when Johnathon, (her brother, and the Trickster character in the story) gives her a puzzle box he stole off a drunk.

Johnathan is mostly comic relief for the rest of the story, but the fact that HE was the one who started the whole thing off gives his character substance. And since it was Evie who awoke the Mummy, it gives her an incentive to face off against an ancient evil instead of running away. (Evie needs that piece of motivation to be plausible because she is a somewhat clumsy Intellectual character and not a person of action.)
__________

In many good vs. evil stories, the catalysts are shared between the protagonist and the antagonist.  In The Lord of the Rings, Sauron's rise to power is a catalyst in and of itself. But Bilbo Baggins's accidental finding of a magic ring in The Hobbit, and later giving it to Frodo, is also a catalyst. And one that will ultimately prove to be Sauron's undoing.

This dynamic is extremely common with murder mysteries, and suspense. Because the antagonist gets the first catalyst (usually a murder or explosion), they're instantly set up as powerful characters. The protagonist's decision to chase the enemy is the catalyst that draws us into the conflict.
__________

Finding those catalyst moments can also be a good way to solve the problem of passive or helpless characters.

In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo gets a catalyst moment, when the council decides that the only way to destroy the ring is to drop it in the fires of Mordor. The members fall to arguing over who will take the ring, and Frodo, the least powerful character in the group, stands up and volunteers.

This is a character who has spent most of the first part of the movie running away, and much of the latter part being protected by others. But because he's the one who volunteered at that critical moment, he retains his power, and when he decides to go off on his own at the end of the movie, we believe it.
 __________

Any thoughts? Can you think of other uses for characters and catalysts?

Brigitta of the White Forest is a middle grade fantasy novel written by Indie-Debut author Danika Dinsmore. Cover design by Tod McCoy. Copyright 2010.

In a world where it is sometimes hard to tell friend from foe, two sisters race against time to save their beloved White Forest and all the faeries they love. As they journey beyond the faerie realm, Brigitta and Himalette persevere through adversity and learn to match wits against giant caterpillars, rock dragons and munshmins.


Before I opened Brigitta of the White Forest, the gorgeous cover with an ethereal blue moon caught my eye, setting the tone for the story. As I read, the White Forest came to life in my imagination as a blend of The Shire and Rivendell, yet with a delightful, whimsical personality all its own. Dinsmore's faerie world is amazingly detailed, steeped in history and tradtions that bring depth to the tale.

I especially love the relationship between Brigitta and her little sister, Himalette. Their loyalty, bravery and even a few sisterly squabbles made for credible, endearing characters.

I recommend this book for middle graders and up. Girls will especially relate to Brigitta, but don't count out the boys - there is plenty of suspense and adventure! Bring on The Ruins of Noe, book #2 in the White Forest series.


Reviewed by Indie-Debut author Beth Bence Reinke.

Title: The Golden Pathway

Written by: Donna McDine

Illustrated by: K.C. Snider

Ages: 8-12

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Hardcover: ISBN: 978-1-61633-081-1; 1616330813

Soft cover: ISBN: 978-1-61633-088-0; 1616330880

eBook: ISBN: 978-1-61633-082-8; 1616330821

Published: August 2010

Synopsis:

Raised in a hostile environment where abuse occurs daily, David attempts to break the mold and befriends the slave, Jenkins, owned by his Pa. Fighting against extraordinary times and beliefs, David leads Jenkins to freedom with no regard for his own safety and possible consequences dealt out by his Pa.

Author: Donna McDine http://www.donnamcdine.com/  

Artist: K. C. Snider http://www.kcsniderart.com/

Ordering information:


Guardian Angel Publishing: http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Pathway-Donna-M-McDIne/dp/1616330880/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282836673&sr=1-1

3 Indie-Debut Authors bring children’s book and YA writers much-needed, seldom-offered advice on what it’s like to publish with a small press.

Indie-Debut authors are aware that not all small presses are created equal, which is why they caution authors to do their homework and sift through publishers to find the one right for them.

The panel on September 25 will offer attendees a unique opportunity to hear first-hand the three authors’ experiences publishing their books through a small press. At the same time, the three authors will share their perspectives on small presses in general during their discussions and help writers decide if this is the right step in their goal to publication.

Where: Harry Bennett Library, Stamford CT

When: Saturday, September 25th 11am- 1pm

BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND BOOK SIGNING AFTER EVENT

Sponsored by the Friends of the Harry Bennett Library and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators of Lower Fairfield (a subgroup of NE-SCBWI).

Click here to enlarge flyer.

Be sure to check out this article in PublishersWeekly.com, "Shelf Unbound Brings Small Press Coverage to the iPad."

M E D I A  R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Donna M. McDine

Children’s Author

Email: dmcdine@optonline.net

Phone: 845-721-7802

For Immediate Release

Indie-Debut 2010 Interview Feature with C. Lee McKenzie, The Write Game

The Write Game http://writegame.blogspot.com/ hosted by C. Lee McKenzie is your one stop place to learn about up and coming debut writers in various genres. McKenzie is quite the accomplished author with several middle grade and young adult books to her credit, coupled with her experience teaching inter-cultural English and studies in American Language at San Jose State University. This makes for the perfect visit for the authors of Indie-Debut 2010 http://indiedebut2010.blogspot.com/.

Come along for this intriguing interview on Thursday, August 19 at http://writegame.blogspot.com/ and meet:

Lori Calabrese, The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade

Danika Dinsmore, Brigitta of the White Forest

Donna McDine, The Golden Pathway

Jo Ramsey, Connection

Beth Reinke, In My Bath

Be sure to leave a comment and or question, each author will check in throughout the day to field your comments and questions. Visitors participating in the contest point system please see further details within the Indie-debut 2010 interview. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a special giveaway tote bag with special treats.

Thank you in advance for your interest.

###

Every Friday at The Accidental Novelist Danika Dinsmore pulls a creative writing exercise from her vault and shares it with her readers.



Could be a poetry assignment, prose exercise, character-development exploration . . . you just never know. (She likes to keep people on their toes.)

Readers are encouraged to share the results of the exercise in comments or with links. Danika enjoys reading work inspired by her exercises, so don't by shy.

If you'd like a warm-up or a muse-boost, stop by each Friday for a new workout.

Last week's workout: The 10 Defining Moments of My Life

 This is reposted from a six-part character series that I did on my blog, Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes. I'll be posting the other bits of the series over the next week or two. Enjoy!
__________

As I've mentioned before, I asked my blog readers to tell me their favorite kinds of characters, and this is part two of the list that they came up with.

It's not all the list though, because several people listed certain types of villains as their favorites, and villains are another post entirely.  

Ready to meet more characters! Here we go!
__________

The Adventurer/Survivalist: This is one of the most popular characters in action/adventure, and horror fiction. The Adventurer is generally clever, athletic and inventive and good with weapons and/or fists.  They're often running off to exotic locations, fighting evil villains, or locating hidden treasure. 

Adventurers may not have the most intricate character development or the best conversational abilities, but they're famous for their knack for getting out of impossible situations and overcoming any odds to save the day.  (The Survivalist may or may not be any of these things, but they are almost always inventive, which is how they survive the apocalypse/horror movie in the first place.)

Movies with Adventurer/Survivalists:  Indiana Jones, The Mummy, G.I. Joe, I am Legend
___

The Super-Competent:  At first glace, the Super-Competent character is very much like the Adventurer, but there are several distinct differences. To begin with, while the Adventurer can  be a bumbling character in real life (i.e. Indiana Jones), the Super-Competent character is almost always in total control of his/her situation. They possess a high level of skill in their chosen field, like the fast-draw heroes of early cowboy movies. 

The other main difference is that the Super-Competent character's skill in work is almost always matched by a corresponding lack of skill in personal relationships. Modern-day Super-Competents are often divorced, or permanently unattached because of some personal loss, like a beloved husband or wife. They don't show emotion easily and have a hard time getting close to people. 

Examples:  The Super-Competent has fallen out of favor in movies since the golden age of the cowboy film, but some excellent TV examples are Cal Lightman on Lie to Me and Jethro Gibbs on NCIS.
___

The Intellectual:  Intellectuals are the "bookish characters" of the fiction world. They are, of course, very intelligent, and are thinkers rather than doers. These are the computer geniuses, the science experts, the artists, the dreamers, and sometimes even the masterminds. Intellectuals can have a wide range of character traits, but almost all of them are more comfortable with ideas than with people.

Movies and TV with Intellectuals: Anne of Green Gables, Evelyn in The Mummy, Die Hard 4, Bones, Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
___
 
The Ruler-Of-All-They-Survey: This character is the king or queen of their domain. They are the star athlete in their high school, the famous actor, the millionaire businessman.  They're confident, charismatic, and often ruthless (though not always)  When the Ruler character is a primary character, their development arc usually involves becoming a better person, often through the love of someone else. Ruler characters make excellent antagonists, and they can also be used as catalysts for the plot, because these are characters who make things happen.

Movies with Ruler characters: Sabrina, She's All That, Mean Girls, Notting Hill, Chicago
__________

While all of these character types can be fun, the real fun comes when you combine them. For example, Temperance Brennen in the TV show Bones is both an Intellectual and a Super-Competent character, while the FBI agent she works with is an Adventurer type with a bit of Trickster in him. 


What do you think? Which character types do you like? Do you think any others go well together?

 This is reposted from a six-part character series that I did on my blog, Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes. I'll be posting the other bits of the series over the next week or two. Enjoy!
__________

So, now that we've talked about WHICH character should tell the story, we have another problem.

What kind of characters should we have in our stories?

To help you out, I asked my readers to tell me their favorite characters, and I threw in a few of my own as well. (There were a lot, so it will take two posts.) I've also given movie examples of these characters, so you  can see how they work.
__________

The Trickster:  The trickster has a wide range of manifestations, such as the good-at-heart con-artist or the thief with a sense of honor. Tricksters are identified by their practical skills, exceptional intelligence, good powers of observation, and the ability to plan and execute elaborate schemes.  Tricksters occasionally try to go straight, but are usually prevented by the need to protect family or enact revenge. Subsets can include the spy or the super-hacker.

Movies with Tricksters: The Sting, Ocean's Eleven, Gone in Sixty Seconds, The Bourne Identity


Strong and Tortured:  This character is generally tall, dark, handsome and mysterious. They are experts at brooding and hint often at dreadful secrets in their past. The Tortured character is usually wrestling with their past or their future. They're often in love with someone that they try to stay away from, or they may give up love for the greater good. Immortality is a frequent attribute, but isn't necessary.

Movies with Tortured characters: Twilight, Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings.


Coming-of-Age or Coming-into-Power:  This character usually starts out as an insecure, doubting person, who sees themselves as ordinary. As the events of the story unfold, they grow in confidence. In fantasy lit, this character often turns out to be possessed of unusual powers, or someone with a great destiny.  In current day novels, this character is usually a teenager, or a twenty-something finding their place in the world.  Coming-of-Age characters are usually taught by the Wise Mentor.

Movies with Coming-into-Power: Shopgirl, Garden State, Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Frodo from Lord of the Rings


The Screw-Up: This character has messed up beyond all recognition, whether through addictions, misunderstandings, or selfishness.  They have a tendency to ignore signs of disaster, and often believe what they want to believe despite the evidence. The story here is a redemptive one, the characters, once confronted with the truth,  are generally forced to make amends in some way. At the end, they usually achieve a sort of peace.

Movies with Screw-Ups: My Best Friend's Wedding. Twenty-Eight Days,

__________

That's all for now. Questions? Comments? Snide Remarks?

 This is reposted from a six-part character series that I did on my blog, Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes. I'll be posting the other bits of the series over the next week or two. Enjoy!
__________

A while back, I did something I wasn't sure I'd ever do, something I was a little embarrassed to tell people about.

I read the excerpt of Midnight Sun.

For those of you who don't know, Midnight Sun was supposed to be the fifth book in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. It tells the events of Twilight from Edward's perspective instead of Bella's.

The book was partially written when someone leaked the work-in-progress to the Internet. Ms. Meyer was so upset by this that she has put the project aside for an indefinite period, and put the leaked draft on her website for her fans to read.

I am not so much a S. Meyer fan, though I have respect for her storytelling abilities. But a friend heard me grumble about how much I disliked Edward as a character, and suggested I read the partial draft.

I was amazed.  Being inside Edward's head was a completely different experience from being inside Bella's head, and for me, a much more interesting one. Instead of the Bella's dilemma "Why is this guy ignoring me and what's his dangerous secret?" the central question is "What can I do to avoid killing this girl, and how can I keep my family from killing her?" I found myself more involved in the story that I was originally, and wishing that the entire series was written from Edward's perspective.

This got me thinking about character.
__________

The Greek writer Heraclitus said that character is destiny, and whether or not that's true in life, it's certainly true in your novel. Your choice of point-of-view character determines everything. What are the tensions in the story? Who is your supporting cast? What does the voice and tone sound like?

 All of these decisions are affected by who tells the story.

But choosing a point-of-view character is a tricky business. How do you know whose story it is? And to complicate things further, your main character and your point-of-view character may not be the same person. Many classic mysteries, for example, have the sidekick tell the story. That way the detective can save the final reveal for the very end, astonishing everyone, including the sidekick.

So how do you decide whose head to stay in?
__________

It depends of course, a lot on the kind of book that you're writing. But here are three questions I ask myself:

1.) Who has the power? Powerless or passive characters can be very hard to engage with. (I would classify Bella as one of these, but that's just my opinion.)

If your story is about a prince rescuing a princess and the princess spends almost the entire book locked in a tower crying, you may want to try telling it from the point of view of the prince. Or a servant who secretly helps the princess by smuggling her food, and eventually assisting in her escape.

2.)  Who changes the most?

Terry Brooks says that without change, nothing happens. The process of changing and adapting to new circumstances creates an automatic story tension. In the Twilight story, it isn't Bella, but Edward who changes the most. His internal struggle gives the story weight.

3.) Who keeps the secrets?

This is largely applicable to mysteries or thrillers. If a character has a secret the reader absolutely cannot know until near the end, try telling it from a different perspective. But be careful here. Sometimes keeping a secret from your readers isn't necessary. I preferred watching Edward try to keep his identity secret, as opposed to watching Bella try to ferret it out.
__________

Any thoughts? How do you decide which character tells the story?

M E D I A  R E L E A S E


CONTACT: Donna McDine, children’s author

Email: dmcdine@optonline.net

Blog: http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com/ 

For Immediate Release

Margaret Fieland Announces Guest Author, Donna McDine at Poetry and Prose

Margaret Fieland, an accomplished piccolo and flute player and the daughter of a successful painter is a published author in a number of poetry and short story anthologies. Through her blog Poetry and Prose, Ms. Fieland is proud to showcase authors through her insightful and intriguing interviewing style.

Stop by Wednesday, August 11 and visit with Margaret at http://www.margaretfieland.com/blog1 and guest, Donna McDine, author of the soon to be released children’s story book, The Golden Pathway. Donna will be on hand throughout the day to chat and field any questions you may have.

Thank you in advance for your interest.

###

When I was bestowed the honor of becoming an “angel” at Guardian Angel Publishing and reached the stage of studying the portfolios of the GAP illustrators I immediately felt a connection to the artistic abilities of K.C. Snider. Not to say it was an easy task since all the illustrators at GAP are quite talented in their own right. Come along on this awe inspiring interview of the prolific works of K.C. Snider.

DMc: K.C., you have quite the accomplished illustrating career. How do you balance your many different projects?


KC: Well, my publicist makes me take a ‘fine arts’ break now and then. We sometimes get inspired to do a particular work to enter into a special show or contest. Usually when I’m working on a book, I work on one at a time. But sometimes two at a time especially if one is particularly complicated and needs a lot of research, doing a fun one interspersed helps to keep my inspiration piqued.

DMc: Are you normally hired by the publishing house or author for your illustrating talents?


KC: Actually, the first book I illustrated was “The Christmas Angel,” for my good friend, Mary Jean Kelso. She had written this story many years ago and couldn’t get it published so she thought that if it was illustrated, it might have a better chance at publication. Unbeknownst to me, she sent it to Lynda Burch at Guardian Angel Publishing who did accept it. I was still busy doing my Western fine arts and hadn’t really thought about pursuing more illustration jobs, but Lynda liked my work and approached me to illustrate Mayra Calvani’s “The Magic Violin.” I was thrilled to have another project for GAP. From there, it has just snowballed with GAP. I do not accept any other projects at this time except from GAP.

DMc: Please share with us your break through moment of your career.


KC: Keep in mind that I’ve had a long career in fine arts prior to illustration. So I would say my biggest break through moment involves my fine art. I was in my first large juried show in Aspen, Colorado when I sold my first $1000 original painting. I had been doing small local shows up until then. Then I started doing lithographs and they sold for as much as my originals did in the beginning.

DMc: Do you conduct school visits? If yes, how is a typical visit structured?


KC: Yes, I do. Here in Redmond, the fourth grade students write and illustrate a book as part of their regular curriculum. As I got known as an illustrator, I was asked to give demonstrations to various classes. My publicist assists me. We use the flip books and I bring samples of the materials I work with. I show them how I work and then they ask lots and lots of questions. One of the students we spoke with last year won the Angel to Angel writing contest with GAP.

DMc: Do you have a favorite medium or style?


KC: I don’t have a favorite medium for my fine arts, but the illustrations are in gouache with some ink. Gouache is an opaque watercolor. My style is generally realism, but I also do cartooning.

DMc: Please name a couple of your favorite children’s illustrators. What intrigues you about them?


KC: No really ‘famous’ children’s illustrators come to mind, but I like Kit Grady, Samantha Bell and Kevin Collier, along with the other GAP artists. Kit’s work is really cute, Samantha’s is quite realistic and Kevin’s is nicely cartoonish.

My mentor for illustrating was Norman Rockwell, my all-time favorite.

DMc: How long does it take for you to illustrate a book?


KC: Generally, a month depending on have often my dog, Pooper Jack, interrupts me. Mayra Calvani’s Frederico, the Mouse Violinst, took two months. I now have 15 books in publication with GAP, six pending publication and contracts signed for 11 more. I’m quite proud of my accomplishments with GAP.

DMc: A signature request I like to ask every author, illustrator, editor, etc., I interview is for the individual to share with us a tidbit from their lives that the reader will find either humorous or surprising. K.C., can you please share one with us?


KC: Probably one of the most memorable events in my art career was the day that my husband, Fred, put a knife through one of my canvases that I had just sold! Fred was tying the painting to an easel so that it would not blow over. He had a knife to cut the string and the knife slipped. He was absolutely mortified and devastated. So I lost a $2000 sale. The gallery I was with was not happy. But Fred has been so supportive of me that I really can’t complain. He does all my framing, helps pack and unpack at shows and does so much that I couldn’t do it without him.

Visit K.C. Snider today at:

http://www.kcsniderart.com/
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/ 

http://andyandthealbinohorse.blogspot.com/

http://www.cafepress.com/KCSniderart 

http://blog.kcsniderart.com/