Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

The Consultant Commentary Part 2

By

The next several months will bring author commentaries on all six stories contained within the Tales from Portents collection. My hope is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

Final messages.

When I write I don’t try to put personal philosophies over the story itself. I think that is the downfall of a strong narrative. The author has his own role but it should remain the invisible hand, not the idiot jamming rhetoric down your throat at the expense of the narrative.

Which made The Consultant stand out for me.

In the tale, there were three victims of the Cerberus. All were tied to the villain and the reason for his vengeance. They either played a direct role in tricking the guard dog of Hell or were rescued because of the trick.

There was the baker, the singer and the hero.

Two were young and vital. The baker and the singer appeared to have their whole lives ahead of them and a successful career on the way.

The hero (Heracles), however, was old and at the end of his life.

Why?

It wasn’t intentional. Believe me. I didn’t even consider what I was trying to say until I was in the editing phase. While putting the finishing touches on the narrative I realized it was a viable question to ask.

There are many answers I could offer for Heracles’ age and infirmity when the singer and baker remained at the peak of their lives.

I could brush it off as a simple fact as to how things turned out for the characters. (A cheat, for sure.)

I could speak to the irrelevance of heroes in the world today. Or their stance in the modern world. Heroes, the good people that strive to make an actual difference in the world are berated and prodded from all sides. If their morals don’t match 100% of the population they are mired in scandal, pulled apart and torn down for the all to see.

Heroes aren’t allowed in the modern world. A sad state of affairs and one I truly hope we move away from as quickly as possible.

A reflection of Soriya.

Putting aside all personal preference, the truth behind the infirmity of Heracles, is that he offered a mirror for Soriya. To see how her journey might end.

He dies alone, something she has always assumed would be the case.

It also offered a thematic tie to The Medusa Coin and its inclusion of a physical manifestation of Death. It is the ultimate test for Soriya and her encounter with the fallen Heracles plays a role in it.

Then again, maybe it means nothing at all and I’m just trying to find relevance in a simple artistic choice. That’s the fun of it all.

Thanks for reading.

The Consultant Commentary Part 1

By

The next several months will bring author commentaries on all six stories contained within the Tales from Portents collection. My hope is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

The Consultant – Evolution of a tale

story researchEvery story comes from character. That is the lesson I take from everything I put together. I might start with a scene in my head, a discussion, an event, a premise, but until it connects to a main character and an arc is present it means little to me.

A story doesn’t have legs until someone can carry the load.

When putting together The Consultant, I knew it was a Soriya tale. In the absence of Loren I wanted to explore how she operated in the city. The early drafts focused on the lack of trust between her and the police and how it hampered her work.

But it wasn’t enough.

The introduction of Russell Kerr started the ball rolling in the right direction. Kerr as a surrogate to Loren offered insight into her process and her need to have someone at her side.

It also showcased her weakness, something explored further in The Medusa Coin in September. (plug, plug…)

Adding depth through story research.

Story research is great. It can add certain layers to stories you never considered. Or it can completely suck the life out a story and read more like a college paper instead of a thriller.

I enjoy the research aspect and dread it at the same time. Mostly because you can never know every angle. If I read four hundred pages on Cerberus there are still four thousand more out there that I will never get to because I have to eventually write the story.

What if I read the wrong four hundred pages? What if I take away the wrong conclusion?

A fear for sure when putting your work out into the world but there is also this:

Research builds a compelling narrative.

Having Russell Kerr, Cerberus, in the story gave me a starting point.

Until I had Cerberus in place I didn’t have a connection to the deaths involved. And they had no connection to the killer. BORING.

Research gave me my victims. What would Cerberus hunt? Who would piss off the guard dog of Hell so much that they would reach into the mortal world for revenge?

Delving into the lore of Cerberus offered me insight into its history, into its failures, and those failures gave me my victims.

The Consultant is one of my favorite stories because of the extra mile I went to include these small details. They never derailed the story, they never had to be explained by Soriya or other characters. They simply exist and add that touch, that flair, that if a reader was interested in knowing more of what was going on in the background they could do the research as well and find the answers.

I absolutely love that about the story.

Each element pulled from the research added details throughout The Consultant, and it all stemmed from character.

Easter eggs –

Russell Kerr’s name – Kerr or “cur” = dog. (Aren’t I a stinker?)

Barking at Hady Ronne – What the hell was that all about? All I can say is wait until you read The Medusa Coin! It will all make sense, I promise.

Thanks for reading.

Eyes in the Storm Commentary Part 2

By

The next several months will bring author commentaries on all six stories contained within the Tales from Portents collection. My hope is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

Naming Characters

Finding the right name for each and every character in your novel is a difficult task. Stretch that out into dozens of novels and it can be downright frustrating. Sometimes I find it is my biggest hangup when outlining a draft.

Series can actually help because for the most part the principal players remain consistent. New characters come and go but the majority of the cast is already in place. This held true for Greystone…

Until Loren decided to move to Chicago for three months in Eyes in the Storm.

Loren’s New World

With his return to Chicago there came a need to introduce an entire new world to the Greystone series and to Loren himself. Colleagues, family, neighbors, threats… anyone that had an interaction with Loren suddenly needed a backstory (some more extensive than others) but also a freaking name!

The secret behind the names in Eyes…

I could not for the life of me figure out how to name anyone in this story. It took days to figure out a theme behind them and it only came to me while taking my kiddos out for a morning stroll.

Street names.

I know, ridiculous, right?

Kendra GIRARD, Noah SOMERTON, Blake EISEMAN, Martin SHEPPARD – all are nearby streets. Once I settled on one, I believe Eiseman was first, it just clicked for the rest and became a lot of fun to insert that connection in the story.

If I’m being all literary I could also say it played into the theme of Loren returning home and not knowing anything about his old neighborhood, something I feel as well when I walk down the streets waving to perfect strangers. But that would be a happy coincidence to the whole thing.

Name resources

I have used a few nice resources since then to come up with names in my work:

Oh, Baby Names – I was on here anyway a few years ago so I bookmarked it and have since come back time and again to find a name (and appropriate meaning) for any new or recurring character introduced. The site has a great directory, including unique baby name ideas and the most popular names.

Behind the Name – This is important, especially when trying to tie theme or a character’s arc to their name and this site offers a unique search into different thematic categories that names fall into.

Alejo was one such name I pulled from a site like this when coming up with the character and I’ll be talking more about that next year in more detail. I will say, that the meaning shaped how Ruiz’s role turned out in the series so I’m very glad sites like this exist.

A special thanks to The Write Life for posting the original article where these resources came from. They also give other great tips for coming up with names.

My important takeaway is this: naming characters is a tough racket but, thankfully, there are plenty of different avenues to explore when coming up with the perfect name for your characters. (Get it? Avenues? Street names? No? Yes? Maybe?)

Next time

The Consultant begins. A look at the research side of things when developing a plot.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – May 25, 2017

By

I have to be honest with you. I’ve been distracted lately. With so much going on writing-wise it’s been happening more and more. That and a constant cold that has slowly turned my brain to mush this month. But there has been writing going on so let’s catch you up on what I’m currently brewing in the writing cauldron.

Currently Writing

Pathways in the Dark self-editing has been a slog. I might be pushing too hard, too quickly so I’m taking this week off to focus on a few other things. This collection means a lot to me and I think it came together nicely but it’s not where it needs to be yet. A couple months of tinkering will do it. I just need to sit down and solve this thing like every other project.

So what have I been distracting myself with lately?

Would you believe Book Five’s outline?

currently writing

(I even upgraded from the pink and purple index cards used for The Medusa Coin…)

Yeah, I did mention possibly moving too quickly for my own good. Looking ahead, though, has already helped refocus some of the plot points in Pathways. I’m still refining the outline and will be for the next few weeks as I put the script together. And then again when drafting takes over this summer.

For now, I am happy to say there is a very clear spine for what will be the final novel in the first cycle of the Greystone series.

It is a definite ending.

For now.

As for everything else going on, I am heading back into The Medusa Coin for one last pass. You’ll be hearing more about the next step for September’s release next month.

Reading

Lots of reading going on lately. Loving it.

Mark Dawson – Phoenix

She does Britain’s dirty work, but this time she needs help. Beatrix Rose, meet John Milton…

Beatrix Rose has a knack for making the British government’s problems go away. When the assassin is sent to Venezuela to track down a missing scientist, she meets a contact who knows the lay of the land: none other than John Milton…

As the state-sanctioned assassin and the special forces soldier team up in South America, they’ll do more than capture a missing scientist. They’ll discover a secret that will change Beatrix’s life forever…

Phoenix is a short story that unites two landmark thriller characters in a single tale. If you like ruthless assassins, fast-moving plots, and Jack Reacher-style action, then you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Mark Dawson’s latest short.

Buy Phoenix to witness the thrilling team-up today!

A great novella showcasing the characters from Mr. Dawson’s various series that serves as a nice primer for his genre. Action packed in the vein of Greg Rucka, I enjoyed every second of it and can’t wait to dive in for more.

The proceeds for this book go to a good cause, experimental cancer treatments for a close friend of Mark Dawson. So please consider purchasing a copy to help assist in a small way toward saving a life. You can learn more about it here.

The Blended Ones – Angela J. Ford

Caught in the fate of the Eastern World, the destiny of the Blended Ones, Treasure Hunters, and Horse Lords become twisted together in a frightful quest. In the midst of their whirlwind adventure, they discover love, loss, and uncover the truth about who and what is behind the chaotic, spiraling events in the Eastern World.

The Blended Ones is Book Two in The Four Worlds series but can be read as a stand-alone novel.  I’ve purchased both and can’t wait to dive into them. They look amazing.

From May 25th to May 29th The Blended Ones is FREE!

Grab yours today on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZ1D35Q

For those looking to try out a whole slew of the best and brightest authors around in Science Fiction and Fantasy, check out the Dominion Rising box-set.

22 brand new novels are being offered in this set for only $0.99!!

From the back cover:

Find the Science Fiction and Fantasy reads you’ve been craving! Whether it’s alien invasion or dark fairytales, heart-pounding galactic adventures or cyberpunk romance, Dominion Rising will satisfy with a thrilling mix of 22 all-new full-length novels set in fantastical realms.

Sword and sorcery, far-flung galactic empires, alternative history, epic magic, slipstream futures: this collection of carefully selected, exclusive novels is sure to delight readers of speculative fiction.

Over five thousand pages packed with aliens, faeries, vampires, gargoyles, warriors, telepaths, space pirates, starship captains, hapless mercenaries, street urchins, robots, cyber-enhanced humans, badass heroines, and lost princesses.

These award-winning, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling authors have left no stone unturned in the science fiction and epic fantasy universe to bring you the very best escape from planet Earth.

All the novels are available exclusively in the Dominion Rising collection.

The collection will be released on August 8th but you can pre-order your copy today!

The Greystone Saga Volume One

Don’t forget to pre-order your copy of The Greystone Saga Volume One, collecting Signs of Portents and Tales from Portents. Only $0.99 until June 22nd!!

           

Thanks for reading.

Eyes of the Storm Commentary Part 1

By

The next several months will bring author commentaries on all six stories contained within the Tales from Portents collection. My hope is to offer insight into the decisions made in putting the project together and the challenges therein. It’s also fun to point out the little Easter eggs throughout. (I love that crap.) So, SPOILER WARNING is in effect for the duration.

Greg Loren, lone wolf.

Greg LorenThere is such a thing as getting too comfortable with a series. Too formulaic. Too stuck in one mode of thinking. Every chance I get to create a new tale in the world of Greystone is a chance to tell something new and I am very much aware of the been there, done that factor.

So when I was outlining the different stories presented in Tales, I knew there were many ways to take the characters. There were no limitations on timeline or specific events so it really opened the door for new looks at each of the principal players in the cast.

Soriya’s solo appearance in The Consultant came together first. It snapped together like a giant jigsaw puzzle pretty quickly from the onset. It was clear from writing that piece when it took place. It ends right where Signs of Portents picks up, dovetailing directly into her investigation into the Night Owls bar.

So what was Loren doing during this time?

That question alone started the ball rolling on what became Eyes in the Storm.

Cases, especially those handled by these two characters are typically handled together. Greg Loren is a man out of place in the true city of Portents. So what happens when he has to fly solo? How does he handle things on his own? How does the world look to Loren from outside the influence of Soriya Greystone?

That was my starting point.

Comfort zones

It isn’t only about breaking away from my comfort zone when plotting new tales in this world to keep the series fresh when creating. It’s about pushing the characters out of theirs as well.

Eyes in the Storm offered a chance to do that by putting Loren in a situation on his own, away from Soriya and away from Portents. Yet completely entwined on some level.

At a time when he wants nothing to do with anything from his past. He’s left it behind, fallen so far he can’t afford another mistake, just as it pulls him right back into it. Forcing Loren to face the world introduced by Soriya on his own, without the safety net of the Greystone in the mix, was the ultimate test for Greg Loren as a character and one I was very happy to see come together.

The Chicago way.

Eyes in the Storm also answered one of the main points on display throughout Signs of Portents. Loren’s time in Chicago. He ran away from Portents, hoping to reconnect with the city of his birth and the family he left behind. He mentioned it several times in the first novel of the series.

It felt wrong not showing it off, at least for a moment.

Connecting to Portents

Another important element for this story was keeping it connected with everything else going on, especially the city of Portents itself. These are tales FROM Portents so having that connective tissue, those threads in place, was something I was very cognizant of when outlining.

The idea that the staff of Chaac traveled through Portents first became that thread. Did something happen to the staff during this trip to allow it to possess Owen Chase? Was it like this prior to its visit to Portents? If you were left with these questions, that was intentional. I wanted to keep it vague, to keep the mystery of Portents and the true city very much in the background for both the reader and Greg Loren.

Portents, in my mind, is the center of this series. It plays as much a role in the way events occur as any character in the book. Just as it plays an important role in who Greg Loren is as a character.

Next time –

Eyes in the Storm continues next week.

Thanks for reading.

Greystone Saga Volume One

By

This is something I always wanted to put together. When I thought about the publishing schedule for Greystone I knew there was an opportunity to fit in a special box set of the previous releases in preparation of the next installment in the series.

With The Medusa Coin set to hit shelves in September now is the time to catch up on the series with The Greystone Saga Volume One.

Volume One contains both Signs of Portents and Tales from Portents for your reading pleasure. I also contains a sneak peek at the upcoming release, The Medusa Coin.

The downside.

This is a digital only release. I toyed with the idea of a physical copy but the cost was too extravagant for the casual reader. This is meant to be a gateway into the series at a lower price point, to allow readers an easy entry to prepare themselves for the release of book three in September.

The cover.

greystone saga volume oneI can’t get enough of the cover. Kit Foster Designs does a damn fine job making me look way better than I have any right to be. I absolutely love new cover day.

Thanks are also due my lovely wife, who assisted me greatly with choosing this image. I spend way too much time in my own head so internal strife is rampant, even about the smallest of details. Thankfully, I have someone willing to listen to my non-stop mutterings and rants, who is also willing to tell me to shut the hell up and go with it when it is the definition of perfection.

(Like her.)

 

The bright side.

The Greystone Saga Volume One is out on June 15th.

To celebrate the launch and really make it appealing to new and old readers alike I am offering the set for 99-cents until June 22nd!!

You heard me. The first two entries into the Greystone series PLUS the sneak peek at The Medusa Coin all for under a buck! Only have Signs of Portents or Tales from Portents in your digital collection? Get the other AND a peek at book three for only $0.99!!!

And the best part? You don’t have to wait until June 15th to order your copy. The Greystone Saga Volume One is available now for pre-order!

           

Now is the time to catch up on the series and stare at that incredible cover the way I have been while typing this missive.

Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: Links throughout this site may be affiliate links. All commission earned through these links go to Eleven Ten Publishing to produce more books for your reading pleasure.

You can view our privacy policy here.

Recent Posts